Cant assign missing values to string variable in spss using. How can i easily convert a string variable to a categorical. A thing to note, however, is that missing values can be specified for multiple variables at once. Converting an spss string variable into a numeric one is simple. Uncover missing data patterns, estimate summary statistics and impute missing values. Spssx discussion delete string values according to a condition. If you dont use the sum function and instead just use. You can specify any number of variables that need to be observed. String variables cannot have system missing values, since any character is legal in a string variable. Click the missing cell in the sex row, and then click the button on the right side of the cell to open the missing values dialog box. Homepath variable has disappeared microsoft community. Recoding multiple string variables in spss automatic recoding. In spss, how do i set a variable to the system missing value.
So, since im not really in the financial way of being able to buy a new mac also the one i have works fine for all other purposes i was wondering if i should just buy a cheap windows laptop. Missing is a function and figures out if the value for the case is system missing a dot or a user defined missing value. Spss may recode missing values into one of the new valid categories. How can i convert blank spaces in spss data into one missing value. The fastest way to convert string variables into numeric ones is with the alter type command. If you use the menus, transformrecode into same variables, specify the variable s to apply it to, click the old and new values button, put a space in the old values slot, the desired text in the new values slot, click add, then continue, and ok or paste if desired. The most common recoding errors happen when you dont tell spss explicitly what to do with missing values.
A more common scenario would be to use this variable in a conditional statement. How do i create and modify string character variables. For example, suppose you have two variables v1 and v2, and you wish to recode all cases of v2 to be equal to the system missing value where v1 is also system missing. How to analyze and handle missing values using spss. Precisely, well flag non empty string values that are system missing after the conversion. Missing values for string variables cannot exceed eight bytes. In spss, recoding categorical string variables to numeric codes and. How do i create a sum of different variables in spss for. Hence, substssn, 1, 3 tells spss to use the variable ssn, start at the first position in the variable and take three characters. Averaging and adding variables with missing data in spss.
For example, recode to some unused string value, like 99999 and set the value 99999 as usermissing afterwards. Defines the new, recoded variable as a string alphanumeric variable. Aggregated variables are source variables used with aggregate functions to create new aggregate variables. To do this, you need to create a new variable using the compute command. You could do that, but if all of your missing variable strings are coded as 66, i would just make a new set of variables, recode the 66. If a range is used, a single discrete missing value can be added to it. There are at least two ways to create a string variable in spss. Click the button in the missing cell for the variable that you want to define. In the spss data view, place the cursor on this variable and sort it in ascending order. Cant assign missing values to string variable in spss using the gui. If you recorded the missing values for a string variable using some kind of nonblank indicator for example, 999 or 999 and have already defined that usermissing value in the variable view window, automatic recode will preserve the missing designation, but will still convert the category code to be in the range of the other categories. Observations with values that either have been defined as user missing values or are unknown and have been assigned the system missing value, which is indicated with a period.
Systemmissing values cannot be generated for string variables, since any character is a legal string value. One way is to use the number function with the compute command. There are no system missing values in string variables. Quick way to find variables on spss ctrl lab notebook. In spss the result of a logical expression is in fact true, false or missing. In class tonight i was told to buy and install spss. All string values, including null or blank values, are considered to be valid unless you explicitly define them as missing.
I can easily recode numeric variables using the gui and the dialogue box shown below. But when i enter a string variable into the same dialogue box the option to define the new value as systemmissing is not available. So, if you have a long string variable, one choice is to change it to a short string variable and define a value to user missing. You can, however, extract one or more characters a substring from them, glue them together concatenate and a couple of other functions. Missing values in spss quick introduction spss tutorials. This allows you to specify how you would like missing values in a string variable to b handled when autorecoded. I tried simply adding the variable under control panelsystemadvancedenvironment variables, but it stopped taking effect after the next reboot. Thus, id guess that you must have cases where all variables are missing, either user or sysmis. Spss statistics has three main windows, plus a menu bar at the top. You cannot define user missing values for long string variables greater than 8 characters, however.
In this simple example, variable b will get a value of 10, if a1, otherwise b is assigned a value of 20, but only for valid values. Declares user missing values for the listed variables. If fewer than 4 of the variables are observed, newvar will be system missing. Recode landval improval totval salepric saltoapr missing1 else0 into land1 impr1 totv1 sale1.
Because the variable score is a string variable, we cannot calculate a mean, etc. The break variable can be either numeric or string. Spss recode into same variables for replace missing to. Iirc, when an spss data file with a string variable over 255 bytes is opened in spss 12, the variable should get split into multiple variables. Ibm spss amos lets you easily use structural equation modeling sem to test hypotheses on complex variable relationships and gain new insights from data. Cant assign missing values to string variable in spss. I am strugling recoding missing values in spss using the graphical user interface.
In spss, what is the difference between systemmissing and. Spss how to convert string variables into numeric ones. We suggest looking at variable names because is just a word and is likely that you would know this, plus the alphabetical sorting tends to make more sense with the variable name rather than the code. The maximum length of string variables was increased from 255 bytes to 32,767 bytes in spss. For instance, in survey data it is common practice to record a data value of 8 when a respondent says i dont know in response to a question, and you can have spss treat the 8s in a variable as if they were. Aggregate data aggregates groups of cases in the active dataset into single cases and creates a new, aggregated file or creates new variables in the active dataset that contain aggregated data. Im looking for a way i can automatically or programatically delete all string variables which are blank throughout the entire dataset. Users can specify certain values to be regarded as missing values if required, which will overcome the problem shown by the believe variable, where spaces are read into string. Spss string function converts numeric values to string values. Oct 20, 2014 recode into same variables for replace missing to zero. In our first example, we show how to input string variables into a new data set. Let us start by examining at a sample screenshot showing two different windows. Now manually convert s3 to numeric under variable view. In other words, spss does not consider it a missing value.
Ive tried using the compute new variable function, and also tried doing it using the recode into different variables function i hope thats what tey are called in english, my spss is in a. Then we use the aggregate command to compute the frequency for each pattern of missing data. As these are at least suspicious, well call those conversion failures. Second, missing values may be specified as a range. For each variable, missing values that are not coded as systemmissing must be defined as usermissing. It allows you to add or average variables, while specifying how many are allowed to be missing. Like so, working with string variables in spss is super easy. Should be a string value is missing if and only if it is empty. Spss macro to automate sequential variable references. In spss, observations with system missing or user missing values are both excluded from data manipulation and analyses. For example, a very common situation is a researcher needs to average the values of the 5 variables. We can also look at the patterns of missing values. Select categorical variables numeric or string and enter a limit on the. Copyingrecoding string variables into new variable.
Since weve 464 cases in total, 464 n is the number of missing values per variable. In spss, what is the difference between systemmissing and usermissing values. Spss recode into same variables for replace missing to zero. Ive got a data matrix which has the following variables 1. In this case, i told spss to assign it a system missing value, visible as a dot.
This is especially true if using the lowest thru, thru highest, or range through options. There are several ways that you can change a string variable into a numeric variable. Perhaps unsurprisingly, missing values can be specified with the missing values command. These can be overridden by the variable alignment command as demonstrated below.
Some procedures will use only those 309 cases known as listwise exclusion of missing values in spss. Variable alignment refers to how data values are aligned within their columns. How can i count how many cases are missing in a string variable. But when i enter a string variable into the same dialogue box the option to define the new value as system missing is not available. The missing values we have just discussed for the variable age are known as system missing values, because the spss system has interpreted the missing values that way. These are the cases without any missing values on all variables in this table.
From transform menu recode into same variable old and new variables system missing in value space add the value you want to replace the missing data with continue ok. For a case with a missing value, the result of the test a1 on the do if command will yield a missing value, i. This document is designed to introduce students to spss for windows. Test this function with a fullfeature spss trial, or contact us to buy. The first way is to use the missing values command to. Sum arguments must be separated by a comma, but, interestingly, the sum function is evidently flexible enough to respect more complex. To define null or blank values as missing for a string variable, enter a single space in one of the fields. Then, if you have strings with missing, 1st you have to recode strings to. When i attempt to define 999 as a missing value code spss responds that. Any old values that are not specified are not included in the new variable, and cases with those values will be assigned the systemmissing value for the new variable. Running it the following way will only calculate the mean if any 4 of the 5 variables is observed. Spss command syntax to delete variables that contain only. You cant use numeric functions such as addition or subtraction on string variables.
The n column shows the number of non missing values per variable. Spss has an option for dealing with this situation. When recoding variables, always handle the missing values first. The first one is used when you first want to see if there is a given value present in another variable before declaring it recoding the missing a zero. If any variables have high percentages of missingness, you may want to exclude them from especially multivariate analyses.
How can i count how many cases are missing in a string. By default all variables are numeric unless you specify explicitly a different type. You tried to replace empty strings with numeric missing. As in ms excel, the default settings are left for string variables and right for numeric variables. Well, then my survey software should skip the next question. This option can only be used when your input variable is a string, and will be grayed out otherwise. One notable difference is that the program assigns system missing values by default, while users define user missing values. Is it possible to use a userdefined missing value code e.
Spss differs in one important aspect from other standard software like for instance a word processor or a spreadsheet, it always uses at least two distinct windows, a window that shows the current data matrix, called the window and a second window that contains the results from statistical procedures called the. That is, the function missing returns 1 for true with string arguments if and only if that string argument is empty. Missing values for a string variable ibm knowledge center. The basic variable types are either numeric or string. You can set short string set to an 8 character width or less values into user missing values in the variable view, or recode the string variable into a numeric variable and set the specified values to system missing for the new variable. Enter the values or range of values that represent missing data. Unlike missing values for numeric variables, missing values for string variables are not assigned a period. The missing attribute is a place for you to designate certain data values that you want spss to ignore when it calculates statistics.
How can i change a string variable into a numeric variable. String variables are variables that hold zero or more characters such as letters, numbers, spaces, commas and many more. You can also do the following if you have more variables. In spss, observations with systemmissing or usermissing values are both excluded from data manipulation and analyses. The missing value could be represented by the string.
Spss differs in one important aspect from other standard software like for instance a word processor or a spreadsheet, it always uses at least two distinct windows, a window that shows the current data matrix, called the window and a second window that contains. Like numeric variables, string variables can have labels, and missing value declarations, although missing string values cannot be longer than 8 characters. Missing values for string variables are case sensitive. Change a string variable to a numeric variable duration. The only string variable in the data is sex, which is identified with a a after the variable name and column. We can recode each variable into a dummy variable such that 1 is missing and 0 is nonmissing. If you havent done this already, it might be a good idea to do a missing values.
If you use the spss keyword all instead of a variable or a list of variables, you will delete all userdefined missing values for all variables, both string and numeric. Quick way to find variables on spss november 4, 2011. By incorporating ibm spss software into their daily operations, organizations become. Jun 17, 2011 dear all, ive been trying to find a way to delete certain string values of a string variable in spss according to a specified condition using spss syntax. Spssxl delete string values according to a condition dear all, ive been trying to find a way to delete certain string values of a string variable in spss according to a specified condition using spss syntax. Spss has a nice little feature for adding and averaging variables with missing data that many people dont know about. In other words, if there are respondents, then i want to delete all the string variables which are blank for all the records. Try ibm spss statistics subscription make it easier to perform powerful statistical analysis. Im using spss for windows and i have a data file with thousands of variables.
If you recorded the missing values for a string variable using some kind of nonblank indicator for example, 999 or 999 and have already defined that user missing value in the variable view window, automatic recode will preserve the missing designation, but will still convert the category code to be in the range of the other categories. Ibm spss missing values enables you to impute your missing data and draw more valid conclusions. Courtney, read up on the sum function in the syntax references. You could do that, but if all of your missing variable strings are coded as 66, i would just make a new set of variables, recode the 66 to a blank string, and then concatenate the variables all. As long as the system thinks its a string variable i. The aggregate variable name is followed by an optional variable label in quotes, the name of the aggregate function, and the source variable name in parentheses. Recode into same variables for replace missing to zero. I read that this may be due to there being missing values in the variables participants usually only did one of the tests, sometimes 2 different ones. Click the variable view tab at the bottom of the data editor window. You claimed that missing values were represented by. There are at least two ways to find out how many missing cases there are in a string variable. Spssx discussion delete string values according to a. Oh and also my laptop 8 year old macbook air probably wont work. The syntax around spss variables with missing values is not intuitive, confusing, and poorly documented i know of 3 different types of commands and knowing which one to use when is not clear.
The second way to determine the number of missing values for a string variable is to create a new variable that has a value of one if the cell in the original variable is not empty i. The second one will recode all variables with missing values a zero. Since compute needs a something at the beginning all my missings are 0 now. For example, if a questionnaire item has the response dont know coded as. If variable b does not exist, its value will be sysmis. Rather than using the recode command, use an if statement like this. To indicate a missing value in a string variable, you need to use the missing values command and assign a value to missing cases. Rather, they are left blank and spss does not consider them to be missing.
How can i see the number of missing values and patterns of. Recoding string variables automatic recode spss tutorials. These options change the variable type of the new variable. Recoding variables spss tutorials libguides at kent. Ibm spss statistics 19 command syntax reference, page 55. In spss, you should run a missing values analysis under the analyze tab to see if the values are missing completely at random mcar, or if there is some pattern among missing data.
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