Data Editor

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Data Editor
Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor The Data Editor provides a convenient, spreadsheet-like method for creating and editing data files. The Data Editor window opens automatically when you start a session. The Data Editor provides two views of your data: Data View. This view displays the actual data values or defined value labels. Variable View. This view displays variable definition information, including defined variable and value labels, data type (for example, string, date, or numeric), measurement level (nominal, ordinal, or scale), and user-defined missing values. In both views, you can add, change, and delete information that is contained in the data file.

Related Topics
Variable Names and Variable Labels in Dialog Box Lists Data View Variable View Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Custom Variable Attributes Entering Data To Change Data Type Copying Data Properties Date Variables versus Date Format Variables Transpose Data Value Restrictions in the Data Editor Case Selection Status in the Data Editor Data Editor Display Options Previous Next

Data View
Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor Data View,Data View,Data View Data View,Data View,Data View Many of the features of Data View are similar to the features that are found in spreadsheet applications. There are, however, several important distinctions: Rows are cases. Each row represents a case or an observation. For example, each individual respondent to a questionnaire is a case.

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Columns are variables. Each column represents a variable or characteristic that is being measured. For example, each item on a questionnaire is a variable. Cells contain values. Each cell contains a single value of a variable for a case. The cell is where the case and the variable intersect. Cells contain only data values. Unlike spreadsheet programs, cells in the Data Editor cannot contain formulas. The data file is rectangular. The dimensions of the data file are determined by the number of cases and variables. You can enter data in any cell. If you enter data in a cell outside the boundaries of the defined data file, the data rectangle is extended to include any rows and/or columns between that cell and the file boundaries. There are no "empty" cells within the boundaries of the data file. For numeric variables, blank cells are converted to the system-missing value. For string variables, a blank is considered a valid value.

Related Topics
Displaying Data View Variable Names and Variable Labels in Dialog Box Lists Data Editor Variable View Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Custom Variable Attributes Entering Data To Change Data Type Copying Data Properties Date Variables versus Date Format Variables Transpose Data Value Restrictions in the Data Editor Case Selection Status in the Data Editor Data Editor Display Options Previous Next

Displaying Data View

Make the Data Editor the active window. Click the Data View tab. Previous Next

Variable View
Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor Variable View,Variable View,Variable View Variable View,Variable View,Variable View Variable View contains descriptions of the attributes of each variable in the data file. In Variable View:

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Rows are variables. Columns are variable attributes. You can add or delete variables and modify attributes of variables, including the following attributes: Variable name Data type Number of digits or characters Number of decimal places Descriptive variable and value labels User-defined missing values Column width Measurement level All of these attributes are saved when you save the data file. In addition to defining variable properties in Variable View, there are two other methods for defining variable properties: The Copy Data Properties Wizard provides the ability to use an external SPSS data file or another dataset that is available in the current session as a template for defining file and variable properties in the active dataset. You can also use variables in the active dataset as templates for other variables in the active dataset. Copy Data Properties is available on the Data menu in the Data Editor window. See Copying Data Properties for more information. Define Variable Properties (also available on the Data menu in the Data Editor window) scans your data and lists all unique data values for any selected variables, identifies unlabeled values, and provides an auto-label feature. This method is particularly useful for categorical variables that use numeric codes to represent categories--for example, 0 = Male, 1 = Female. See Defining Variable Properties for more information.

Related Topics
To Display or Define Variable Attributes Variable Names and Variable Labels in Dialog Box Lists Data Editor Data View Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Custom Variable Attributes Entering Data To Change Data Type Copying Data Properties Date Variables versus Date Format Variables Transpose Data Value Restrictions in the Data Editor Case Selection Status in the Data Editor Data Editor Display Options Previous Next

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To Display or Define Variable Attributes

variables,variables,variables defining,defining,defining defining variables,defining variables,defining variables Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor defining variables,defining variables,defining variables Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor variables,variables,variables Make the Data Editor the active window. Double-click a variable name at the top of the column in Data View, or click the Variable View tab. To define new variables, enter a variable name in any blank row. Select the attribute(s) that you want to define or modify. Show me

Related Topics
Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Variable Type Input versus Display Formats Variable Labels Value Labels Missing Values Column Width Variable Alignment Applying Variable Definition Attributes to Multiple Variables To Generate New Variables with the Same Attributes Previous Next

Variable Names
variable names,variable names,variable names rules,rules,rules variable names,variable names,variable names variable names,variable names,variable names mixed case variable names,mixed case variable names,mixed case variable names wrapping long variable names in output,wrapping long variable names in output,wrapping long variable names in output The following rules apply to variable names:

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Each variable name must be unique; duplication is not allowed. Variable names can be up to 64 bytes long, and the first character must be a letter or one of the characters @, #, or $. Subsequent characters can be any combination of letters, numbers, a period (.), and nonpunctuation characters. Sixty-four bytes typically means 64 characters in single-byte languages (e.g., English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Hebrew, Russian, Greek, Arabic, and Thai) and 32 characters in double-byte languages (e.g., Japanese, Chinese, and Korean). (Note: Letters include any nonpunctuation characters used in writing ordinary words in the languages supported in the character set of the platform on which SPSS is running.) Variable names cannot contain spaces. A # character in the first position of a variable name defines a scratch variable. You can only create scratch variables with command syntax. You cannot specify a # as the first character of a variable in dialog boxes that create new variables. See Scratch Variables for more information. A $ sign in the first position indicates that the variable is a system variable. See System Variables for more information. The $ sign is not allowed as the initial character of a user-defined variable. The period, underscore, and the characters $, #, and @ can be used within variable names. For example, A._$@#1 is a valid variable name. Variable names ending with a period should be avoided, since the period may be interpreted as a command terminator. You can only create variables that end with a period in command syntax. You cannot create variables that end with a period in dialog boxes that create new variables. Variable names ending in underscores should be avoided, since such names may conflict with names of variables automatically created by commands and procedures. Reserved keywords cannot be used as variable names. Reserved keywords are: ALL, AND, BY, EQ, GE, GT, LE, LT, NE, NOT, OR, TO, and WITH. Variable names can be defined with any mixture of uppercase and lowercase characters, and case is preserved for display purposes. When long variable names need to wrap onto multiple lines in output, SPSS attempts to break the lines at underscores, periods, and where content changes from lower case to upper case.

Related Topics
Inserting or Modifying Variable Names Variable Names and Variable Labels in Dialog Box Lists Data Editor Data View Variable View Variable Measurement Level Custom Variable Attributes Entering Data To Change Data Type Copying Data Properties Date Variables versus Date Format Variables Transpose Data Value Restrictions in the Data Editor Case Selection Status in the Data Editor Data Editor Display Options To Display or Define Variable Attributes

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Variable Type Input versus Display Formats Variable Labels Value Labels Missing Values Column Width Variable Alignment Applying Variable Definition Attributes to Multiple Variables To Generate New Variables with the Same Attributes RENAME VARIABLES Previous Next

Inserting or Modifying Variable Names

Make the Data Editor the active window. Double-click a variable name at the top of the column in Data View or click the Variable View tab. Enter the new variable name in the Name cell for the variable. See Variable Names for information on variable naming rules. Previous Next

Variable Measurement Level

measurement level,measurement level,measurement level defining,defining,defining level of measurement,level of measurement,level of measurement defining,defining,defining measurement level,measurement level,measurement level level of measurement,level of measurement,level of measurement scale,scale,scale measurement level,measurement level,measurement level ordinal,ordinal,ordinal measurement level,measurement level,measurement level nominal,nominal,nominal measurement level,measurement level,measurement level scale,scale,scale ordinal,ordinal,ordinal nominal,nominal,nominal You can specify the level of measurement as scale (numeric data on an interval or ratio scale), ordinal, or nominal. Nominal and ordinal data can be either string (alphanumeric) or numeric. Nominal. A variable can be treated as nominal when its values represent categories with no intrinsic ranking (for example, the department of the company in which an employee works). Examples of nominal variables include region, zip code, and religious affiliation.

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Ordinal. A variable can be treated as ordinal when its values represent categories with some intrinsic ranking (for example, levels of service satisfaction from highly dissatisfied to highly satisfied). Examples of ordinal variables include attitude scores representing degree of satisfaction or confidence and preference rating scores. Scale. A variable can be treated as scale when its values represent ordered categories with a meaningful metric, so that distance comparisons between values are appropriate. Examples of scale variables include age in years and income in thousands of dollars. Note: For ordinal string variables, the alphabetic order of string values is assumed to reflect the true order of the categories. For example, for a string variable with the values of low, medium, high, the order of the categories is interpreted as high, low, medium--which is not the correct order. In general, it is more reliable to use numeric codes to represent ordinal data. For new variables created during a session, data read from external file formats, and SPSS data files that were created prior to version 8.0, default assignment of measurement level is based on the following rules: Numeric variables with fewer than 24 unique values and string variables are set to nominal. Numeric variables with 24 or more unique values are set to scale. You can change the scale/nominal cutoff value for numeric variables in the Options dialog box. See Interactive Chart Options for more information. The Define Variable Properties dialog box, available from the Data menu, can help you assign the correct measurement level. See Assigning the Measurement Level for more information.

Related Topics
Specifying Measurement Level Variable Names and Variable Labels in Dialog Box Lists Data Editor Data View Variable View Variable Names Custom Variable Attributes Entering Data To Change Data Type Copying Data Properties Date Variables versus Date Format Variables Transpose Data Value Restrictions in the Data Editor Case Selection Status in the Data Editor Data Editor Display Options To Display or Define Variable Attributes Variable Type Input versus Display Formats Variable Labels Value Labels Missing Values Column Width

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Variable Alignment Applying Variable Definition Attributes to Multiple Variables To Generate New Variables with the Same Attributes VARIABLE LEVEL Previous Next

Specifying Measurement Level

Make the Data Editor the active window. Double-click a variable name at the top of the column in Data View or click the Variable View tab. Select the measurement level from the list in the Measure cell for the variable. Previous Next

Variable Type
data types,data types,data types custom currency,custom currency,custom currency custom currency formats,custom currency formats,custom currency formats data types,data types,data types data types,data types,data types data types,data types,data types defining,defining,defining defining variables,defining variables,defining variables data types,data types,data types defining variables,defining variables,defining variables numeric format,numeric format,numeric format COMMA format,COMMA format,COMMA format DOT format,DOT format,DOT format scientific notation,scientific notation,scientific notation date format variables,date format variables,date format variables DOLLAR format,DOLLAR format,DOLLAR format string format,string format,string format Variable Type specifies the data type for each variable. By default, all new variables are assumed to be numeric. You can use Variable Type to change the data type. The contents of the Variable Type dialog box depend on the selected data type. For some data types, there are text boxes for width and number of decimals; for other data types, you can simply select a format from a scrollable list of examples. The available data types are as follows: Numeric. A variable whose values are numbers. Values are displayed in standard numeric format. The Data Editor accepts numeric values in standard format or in scientific notation. Comma. A numeric variable whose values are displayed with commas delimiting every three places and displayed with the period as a decimal delimiter. The Data Editor accepts numeric values for comma

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variables with or without commas or in scientific notation. Values cannot contain commas to the right of the decimal indicator. Dot. A numeric variable whose values are displayed with periods delimiting every three places and with the comma as a decimal delimiter. The Data Editor accepts numeric values for dot variables with or without periods or in scientific notation. Values cannot contain periods to the right of the decimal indicator. Scientific notation. A numeric variable whose values are displayed with an embedded E and a signed power-of-10 exponent. The Data Editor accepts numeric values for such variables with or without an exponent. The exponent can be preceded by E or D with an optional sign or by the sign alone--for example, 123, 1.23E2, 1.23D2, 1.23E+2, and 1.23+2. Date. A numeric variable whose values are displayed in one of several calendar-date or clock-time formats. Select a format from the list. You can enter dates with slashes, hyphens, periods, commas, or blank spaces as delimiters. The century range for two-digit year values is determined by your Options settings (from the Edit menu, choose Options, and then click the Data tab). Dollar. A numeric variable displayed with a leading dollar sign ($), commas delimiting every three places, and a period as the decimal delimiter. You can enter data values with or without the leading dollar sign. Custom currency. A numeric variable whose values are displayed in one of the custom currency formats that you have defined in the Currency tab of the Options dialog box. Defined custom currency characters cannot be used in data entry but are displayed in the Data Editor. String. A variable whose values are not numeric and therefore are not used in calculations. The values can contain any characters up to the defined length. Uppercase and lowercase letters are considered distinct. This type is also known as an alphanumeric variable.

Related Topics
To Define Variable Type To Create Custom Currency Formats To Display or Define Variable Attributes Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Input versus Display Formats Variable Labels Value Labels Missing Values Column Width Variable Alignment Applying Variable Definition Attributes to Multiple Variables To Generate New Variables with the Same Attributes Previous Next

To Define Variable Type

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Make the Data Editor the active window. If Data View is displayed, double-click the variable name at the top of the column in Data View or click the Variable View tab. Click the button in the Type cell for the variable that you want to define. Select the data type in the Variable Type dialog box. Click OK. Previous Next

Input versus Display Formats

data types,data types,data types display formats,display formats,display formats data types,data types,data types input formats,input formats,input formats input formats,input formats,input formats display formats,display formats,display formats data types,data types,data types numeric format,numeric format,numeric format COMMA format,COMMA format,COMMA format DOT format,DOT format,DOT format date format variables,date format variables,date format variables DOLLAR format,DOLLAR format,DOLLAR format Depending on the format, the display of values in Data View may differ from the actual value as entered and stored internally. Following are some general guidelines: For numeric, comma, and dot formats, you can enter values with any number of decimal positions (up to 16), and the entire value is stored internally. The Data View displays only the defined number of decimal places and rounds values with more decimals. However, the complete value is used in all computations. For string variables, all values are right-padded to the maximum width. For a string variable with a maximum width of three, a value of No is stored internally as 'No ' and is not equivalent to ' No'. For date formats, you can use slashes, dashes, spaces, commas, or periods as delimiters between day, month, and year values, and you can enter numbers, three-letter abbreviations, or complete names for month values. Dates of the general format dd-mmm-yy are displayed with dashes as delimiters and three-letter abbreviations for the month. Dates of the general format dd/mm/yy and mm/dd/yy are displayed with slashes for delimiters and numbers for the month. Internally, dates are stored as the number of seconds from October 14, 1582. The century range for dates with twodigit years is determined by your Options settings (from the Edit menu, choose Options, and then click the Data tab). For time formats, you can use colons, periods, or spaces as delimiters between hours, minutes, and seconds. Times are displayed with colons as delimiters. Internally, times are stored as a number of seconds that represents a time interval. For example, 10:00:00 is stored internally as 36000, which is 60 (seconds per minute) x 60 (minutes per hour) x 10 (hours).

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Related Topics
Data Options To Display or Define Variable Attributes Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Variable Labels Value Labels Missing Values Column Width Variable Alignment Applying Variable Definition Attributes to Multiple Variables To Generate New Variables with the Same Attributes Previous Next

Variable Labels
defining variables,defining variables,defining variables variable labels,variable labels,variable labels variable labels,variable labels,variable labels defining variables,defining variables,defining variables You can assign descriptive variable labels up to 256 characters (128 characters in double-byte languages). Variable labels can contain spaces and reserved characters that are not allowed in variable names.

Related Topics
To Specify Variable Labels To Display or Define Variable Attributes Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Variable Type Input versus Display Formats Value Labels Missing Values Column Width Variable Alignment Applying Variable Definition Attributes to Multiple Variables To Generate New Variables with the Same Attributes VARIABLE LABELS Previous Next

To Specify Variable Labels

Make the Data Editor the active window.

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Double-click a variable name at the top of the column in Data View, or click the Variable View tab. In the Label cell for the variable, enter the descriptive variable label. Previous Next

Value Labels
defining variables,defining variables,defining variables value labels,value labels,value labels value labels,value labels,value labels defining variables,defining variables,defining variables You can assign descriptive value labels for each value of a variable. This process is particularly useful if your data file uses numeric codes to represent non-numeric categories (for example, codes of 1 and 2 for male and female). Value labels are saved with the data file. You do not need to redefine value labels each time you open a data file. Value labels can be up to 120 bytes. Value labels are not available for long string variables (string variables longer than eight characters).

Related Topics
To Specify Value Labels To Display or Define Variable Attributes Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Variable Type Input versus Display Formats Variable Labels Missing Values Column Width Variable Alignment Applying Variable Definition Attributes to Multiple Variables To Generate New Variables with the Same Attributes VALUE LABELS Previous Next

To Specify Value Labels

Make the Data Editor the active window. If Data View is displayed, double-click the variable name at the top of the column in Data View or click the Variable View tab.

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Click the button in the Values cell for the variable that you want to define. For each value, enter the value and a label. Click Add to enter the value label. Click OK. You can also use Define Variable Properties to assist you in the process of assigning value labels. Define Variable Properties scans the data and lists all the unique values for each variable, providing a simple grid to enter value labels next to the corresponding values. See To Define Variable Properties for more information. Previous Next

Inserting Line Breaks in Labels

line breaks,line breaks,line breaks variable and value labels,variable and value labels,variable and value labels wrapping,wrapping,wrapping variable and value labels,variable and value labels,variable and value labels variable labels,variable labels,variable labels inserting line breaks,inserting line breaks,inserting line breaks value labels,value labels,value labels inserting line breaks,inserting line breaks,inserting line breaks Variable labels and value labels automatically wrap to multiple lines in pivot tables and charts if the cell or area isn't wide enough to display the entire label on one line, and you can edit results to insert manual line breaks if you want the label to wrap at a different point. You can also create variable labels and value labels that will always wrap at specified points and be displayed on multiple lines. For variable labels, select the Label cell for the variable in Variable View in the Data Editor. For value labels, select the Values cell for the variable in Variable View in the Data Editor, click the button in the cell, and in the Value Labels dialog box, select the label that you want to modify. At the place in the label where you want the label to wrap, type \n. The \n is not displayed in pivot tables or charts; it is interpreted as a line break character.

Related Topics
To Specify Variable Labels To Specify Value Labels Previous Next

Missing Values
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defining variables,defining variables,defining variables missing values,missing values,missing values missing values,missing values,missing values defining,defining,defining user-missing values,user-missing values,user-missing values defining variables,defining variables,defining variables missing values,missing values,missing values missing values,missing values,missing values string variables,string variables,string variables string variables,string variables,string variables missing values,missing values,missing values missing values,missing values,missing values string variables,string variables,string variables Missing Values defines specified data values as user-missing. For example, you might want to distinguish between data that are missing because a respondent refused to answer and data that are missing because the question didn't apply to that respondent. Data values that are specified as usermissing are flagged for special treatment and are excluded from most calculations. User-missing value specifications are saved with the data file. You do not need to redefine usermissing values each time you open the data file. You can enter up to three discrete (individual) missing values, a range of missing values, or a range plus one discrete value. Ranges can be specified only for numeric variables. You cannot define missing values for long string variables (string variables that are longer than eight characters). Missing values for string variables. All string values, including null or blank values, are considered to be valid unless you explicitly define them as missing. To define null or blank values as missing for a string variable, enter a single space in one of the fields under the Discrete missing values selection.

Related Topics
To Define Missing Values To Display or Define Variable Attributes Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Variable Type Input versus Display Formats Variable Labels Value Labels Column Width Variable Alignment Applying Variable Definition Attributes to Multiple Variables To Generate New Variables with the Same Attributes MISSING VALUES Previous Next

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To Define Missing Values

Make the Data Editor the active window. If Data View is displayed, double-click the variable name at the top of the column in Data View or click the Variable View tab. Click the button in the Missing cell for the variable that you want to define. Enter the values or range of values that represent missing data. All string values, including null or blank values, are considered to be valid unless you explicitly define them as missing. To define null or blank values as missing for a string variable, enter a single space in one of the fields under the Discrete missing values selection. Previous Next

Column Width
Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor column width,column width,column width column width,column width,column width in Data Editor,in Data Editor,in Data Editor Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor column width,column width,column width You can specify a number of characters for the column width. Column widths can also be changed in Data View by clicking and dragging the column borders. Column formats affect only the display of values in the Data Editor. Changing the column width does not change the defined width of a variable. If the defined and actual width of a value are wider than the column, asterisks (*) are displayed in Data View.

Related Topics
To Display or Define Variable Attributes Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Variable Type Input versus Display Formats Variable Labels Value Labels Missing Values Variable Alignment Applying Variable Definition Attributes to Multiple Variables To Generate New Variables with the Same Attributes VARIABLE WIDTH

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Previous

Next

Variable Alignment
Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor alignment,alignment,alignment alignment,alignment,alignment in Data Editor,in Data Editor,in Data Editor Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor alignment,alignment,alignment Alignment controls the display of data values and/or value labels in Data View. The default alignment is right for numeric variables and left for string variables. This setting affects only the display in Data View.

Related Topics
Changing the Alignment of Values in Data View To Display or Define Variable Attributes Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Variable Type Input versus Display Formats Variable Labels Value Labels Missing Values Column Width Applying Variable Definition Attributes to Multiple Variables To Generate New Variables with the Same Attributes VARIABLE ALIGNMENT Previous Next

Changing the Alignment of Values in Data View

Make the Data Editor the active window. Double-click a variable name at the top of the column in Data View or click the Variable View tab. Select the alignment (left, right, center) from the list in the Align cell for the variable. Previous Next

Applying Variable Definition Attributes to Multiple Variables

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defining variables,defining variables,defining variables copying and pasting attributes,copying and pasting attributes,copying and pasting attributes variable attributes,variable attributes,variable attributes copying and pasting,copying and pasting,copying and pasting defining variables,defining variables,defining variables variable attributes,variable attributes,variable attributes defining variables,defining variables,defining variables templates,templates,templates templates,templates,templates variable definition,variable definition,variable definition defining variables,defining variables,defining variables templates,templates,templates After you have defined variable definition attributes for a variable, you can copy one or more attributes and apply them to one or more variables. Basic copy and paste operations are used to apply variable definition attributes. You can: Copy a single attribute (for example, value labels) and paste it to the same attribute cell(s) for one or more variables. Copy all attributes from one variable and paste them to one or more other variables. Create multiple new variables with all the attributes of a copied variable.

Related Topics
Applying Variable Definition Attributes to Other Variables To Generate New Variables with the Same Attributes Generating Multiple New Variables with the Same Attributes To Display or Define Variable Attributes Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Variable Type Input versus Display Formats Variable Labels Value Labels Missing Values Column Width Variable Alignment Previous Next

Applying Variable Definition Attributes to Other Variables

To Apply Individual Attributes from a Defined Variable
In Variable View, select the attribute cell that you want to apply to other variables.

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From the menus choose: Edit Copy Select the attribute cell(s) to which you want to apply the attribute. (You can select multiple target variables.) From the menus choose: Edit Paste If you paste the attribute to blank rows, new variables are created with default attributes for all attributes except the selected attribute.

To Apply All Attributes from a Defined Variable

In Variable View, select the row number for the variable with the attributes that you want to use. (The entire row is highlighted.) From the menus choose: Edit Copy Select the row number(s) for the variable(s) to which you want to apply the attributes. (You can select multiple target variables.) From the menus choose: Edit Paste

Related Topics
Applying Variable Definition Attributes to Multiple Variables To Generate New Variables with the Same Attributes Generating Multiple New Variables with the Same Attributes Previous Next

To Generate New Variables with the Same Attributes

The Paste Variables dialog box creates new variables with the variable definition attributes of a selected variable.

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Paste Variables dialog box

Related Topics
Applying Variable Definition Attributes to Multiple Variables Applying Variable Definition Attributes to Other Variables Generating Multiple New Variables with the Same Attributes To Display or Define Variable Attributes Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Variable Type Input versus Display Formats Variable Labels Value Labels Missing Values Column Width Variable Alignment Previous Next

Generating Multiple New Variables with the Same Attributes

defining variables,defining variables,defining variables copying and pasting attributes,copying and pasting attributes,copying and pasting attributes variable attributes,variable attributes,variable attributes copying and pasting,copying and pasting,copying and pasting defining variables,defining variables,defining variables variable attributes,variable attributes,variable attributes defining variables,defining variables,defining variables templates,templates,templates templates,templates,templates variable definition,variable definition,variable definition defining variables,defining variables,defining variables templates,templates,templates In Variable View, click the row number for the variable that has the attributes that you want to use for the new variable. (The entire row is highlighted.) From the menus choose:

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Edit Copy Click the empty row number beneath the last defined variable in the data file. From the menus choose: Edit Paste Variables... In the Paste Variables dialog box, enter the number of variables that you want to create. Enter a prefix and starting number for the new variables. Click OK. The new variable names will consist of the specified prefix plus a sequential number starting with the specified number.

Related Topics
Applying Variable Definition Attributes to Multiple Variables Applying Variable Definition Attributes to Other Variables To Generate New Variables with the Same Attributes Previous Next

Custom Variable Attributes

custom variable attributes,custom variable attributes,custom variable attributes variable attributes,variable attributes,variable attributes custom,custom,custom attributes,attributes,attributes custom variable attributes,custom variable attributes,custom variable attributes custom attributes,custom attributes,custom attributes In addition to the standard variable attributes (for example, value labels, missing values, measurement level), you can create your own custom variable attributes. Like standard variable attributes, these custom attributes are saved with SPSS-format data files. See Creating Custom Variable Attributes for more information. See Displaying and Editing Custom Variable Attributes for more information.

Related Topics
Variable Names and Variable Labels in Dialog Box Lists Data Editor Data View Variable View

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Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Entering Data To Change Data Type Copying Data Properties Date Variables versus Date Format Variables Transpose Data Value Restrictions in the Data Editor Case Selection Status in the Data Editor Data Editor Display Options Creating Custom Variable Attributes Displaying and Editing Custom Variable Attributes Variable Attribute Arrays Previous Next

Creating Custom Variable Attributes

To create new custom attributes: In Variable View of the Data Editor, from the menus choose: Data New Custom Attribute... Drag and drop the variables to which you want to assign the new attribute to the Selected Variables list. Enter a name for the attribute. Attribute names must follow the same rules as variable names. See Variable Names for more information. Enter an optional value for the attribute. If you select multiple variables, the value is assigned to all selected variables. You can leave this blank and then enter values for each variable in Variable View. Display attribute in the Data Editor. Displays the attribute in Variable View of the Data Editor. For information on controlling the display of custom attributes, see Displaying and Editing Custom Variable Attributes below. Display Defined List of Attributes. Displays a list of custom attributes already defined for the dataset. Attribute names that begin with a dollar sign ($) are reserved attributes that cannot be modified. This dialog generates VARIABLE ATTRIBUTE command syntax.

Related Topics
Custom Variable Attributes Displaying and Editing Custom Variable Attributes Variable Attribute Arrays Previous Next

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Displaying and Editing Custom Variable Attributes

Custom variable attributes can be displayed and edited in the Data Editor in Variable View. Custom variable attribute names are enclosed in square brackets. Attribute names that begin with a dollar sign are reserved and cannot be modified. A blank cell indicates that the attribute does not exist for that variable; the text Empty displayed in a cell indicates that the attribute exists for that variable but no value has been assigned to the attribute for that variable. Once you enter text in the cell, the attribute exists for that variable with the value you enter. The text Array... displayed in a cell indicates that this is an attribute array: an attribute that contains multiple values. Click the button in the cell to display the list of values. To Display and Edit Custom Variable Attributes

Related Topics
Custom Variable Attributes Creating Custom Variable Attributes Variable Attribute Arrays Previous Next

Variable Attribute Arrays

The text Array...displayed in a cell for a custom variable attribute in Variable View or in the Custom Variable Properties dialog box in Define Variable Propertiesindicates that this is an attribute array, an attribute that contains multiple values. For example, you could have an attribute array that identifies all of the source variables used to compute a derived variable. Click the button in the cell to display and edit the list of values.

Related Topics
Custom Variable Attributes Creating Custom Variable Attributes Displaying and Editing Custom Variable Attributes Previous Next

Entering Data
entering data,entering data,entering data data entry,data entry,data entry Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor entering data,entering data,entering data Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor

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In Data View, you can enter data directly in the Data Editor. You can enter data in any order. You can enter data by case or by variable, for selected areas or for individual cells. The active cell is highlighted. The variable name and row number of the active cell are displayed in the top left corner of the Data Editor. When you select a cell and enter a data value, the value is displayed in the cell editor at the top of the Data Editor. Data values are not recorded until you press Enter or select another cell. To enter anything other than simple numeric data, you must define the variable type first. If you enter a value in an empty column, the Data Editor automatically creates a new variable and assigns a variable name.

Related Topics
To Enter Numeric Data To Enter Non-Numeric Data To Use Value Labels for Data Entry Data Editor Data View Variable View Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Custom Variable Attributes Data Value Restrictions in the Data Editor Editing Data Case Selection Status in the Data Editor Data Editor Display Options Variable Names and Variable Labels in Dialog Box Lists To Change Data Type Copying Data Properties Date Variables versus Date Format Variables Transpose Previous Next

To Enter Numeric Data

Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor entering numeric data,entering numeric data,entering numeric data entering data,entering data,entering data numeric,numeric,numeric Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor entering data,entering data,entering data Select a cell in Data View. Enter the data value. (The value is displayed in the cell editor at the top of the Data Editor.)

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To record the value, press Enter or select another cell.

Related Topics
Entering Data To Enter Non-Numeric Data To Use Value Labels for Data Entry Previous Next

To Enter Non-Numeric Data

Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor entering non-numeric data,entering non-numeric data,entering non-numeric data entering data,entering data,entering data non-numeric,non-numeric,non-numeric Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor entering data,entering data,entering data string variables,string variables,string variables entering data,entering data,entering data string variables,string variables,string variables Double-click a variable name at the top of the column in Data View or click the Variable View tab. Click the button in the Type cell for the variable. Select the data type in the Variable Type dialog box. Click OK. Double-click the row number or click the Data View tab. Enter the data in the column for the newly defined variable.

Related Topics
Entering Data To Enter Numeric Data To Use Value Labels for Data Entry Previous Next

To Use Value Labels for Data Entry

value labels,value labels,value labels using for data entry,using for data entry,using for data entry entering data,entering data,entering data using value labels,using value labels,using value labels value labels,value labels,value labels

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entering data,entering data,entering data If value labels aren't currently displayed in Data View, from the menus choose: View Value Labels Click the cell in which you want to enter the value. Choose a value label from the drop-down list. The value is entered, and the value label is displayed in the cell. Note: This process works only if you have defined value labels for the variable.

Related Topics
Entering Data To Enter Numeric Data To Enter Non-Numeric Data Previous Next

Data Value Restrictions in the Data Editor

Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor data value restrictions,data value restrictions,data value restrictions Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor The defined variable type and width determine the type of value that can be entered in the cell in Data View. If you type a character that is not allowed by the defined variable type, the Data Editor beeps and does not enter the character. For string variables, characters beyond the defined width are not allowed. For numeric variables, integer values that exceed the defined width can be entered, but the Data Editor displays either scientific notation or asterisks in the cell to indicate that the value is wider than the defined width. To display the value in the cell, change the defined width of the variable. (Note: Changing the column width does not affect the variable width.)

Related Topics
Data Editor Data View Variable View Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Custom Variable Attributes Entering Data

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Editing Data Case Selection Status in the Data Editor Data Editor Display Options Previous Next

Editing Data
editing data,editing data,editing data Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor editing data,editing data,editing data Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor With the Data Editor, you can modify data values in Data View in many ways. You can: Change data values. Cut, copy, and paste data values. Add and delete cases. Add and delete variables. Change the order of variables.

Related Topics
Replacing or Modifying Data Values Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Data Values Inserting New Cases Inserting New Variables To Change Data Type Data Editor Data View Variable View Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Custom Variable Attributes Entering Data Data Value Restrictions in the Data Editor Case Selection Status in the Data Editor Data Editor Display Options Previous Next

Replacing or Modifying Data Values

To Delete the Old Value and Enter a New Value
In Data View, double-click the cell. (The cell value is displayed in the cell editor.) Edit the value directly in the cell or in the cell editor.

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Press Enter (or move to another cell) to record the new value. Previous Next

Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Data Values

editing data,editing data,editing data Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor editing data,editing data,editing data Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor You can cut, copy, and paste individual cell values or groups of values in the Data Editor. You can: Move or copy a single cell value to another cell. Move or copy a single cell value to a group of cells. Move or copy the values for a single case (row) to multiple cases. Move or copy the values for a single variable (column) to multiple variables. Move or copy a group of cell values to another group of cells.

Related Topics
Data Conversion for Pasted Values in the Data Editor To Change Data Type Inserting New Cases Inserting New Variables Previous Next

Data Conversion for Pasted Values in the Data Editor

editing data,editing data,editing data Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor editing data,editing data,editing data Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor If the defined variable types of the source and target cells are not the same, the Data Editor attempts to convert the value. If no conversion is possible, the system-missing value is inserted in the target cell. Converting numeric or date into string. Numeric (for example, numeric, dollar, dot, or comma) and date formats are converted to strings if they are pasted into a string variable cell. The string value is the numeric value as displayed in the cell. For example, for a dollar format variable, the displayed dollar sign becomes part of the string value. Values that exceed the defined string variable width are truncated. Converting string into numeric or date. String values that contain acceptable characters for the numeric or date format of the target cell are converted to the equivalent numeric or date value. For example, a string value of 25/12/91 is converted to a valid date if the format type of the target cell is one of the day-

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month-year formats, but the value is converted to system-missing if the format type of the target cell is one of the month-day-year formats. Converting date into numeric. Date and time values are converted to a number of seconds if the target cell is one of the numeric formats (for example, numeric, dollar, dot, or comma). Because dates are stored internally as the number of seconds since October 14, 1582, converting dates to numeric values can yield some extremely large numbers. For example, the date 10/29/91 is converted to a numeric value of 12,908,073,600. Converting numeric into date or time. Numeric values are converted to dates or times if the value represents a number of seconds that can produce a valid date or time. For dates, numeric values that are less than 86,400 are converted to the system-missing value.

Related Topics
Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Data Values To Change Data Type Previous Next

Inserting New Cases

cases,cases,cases inserting new cases,inserting new cases,inserting new cases Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor inserting new cases,inserting new cases,inserting new cases cases,cases,cases Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor Entering data in a cell in a blank row automatically creates a new case. The Data Editor inserts the system-missing value for all other variables for that case. If there are any blank rows between the new case and the existing cases, the blank rows become new cases with the system-missing value for all variables. You can also insert new cases between existing cases.

Related Topics
To Insert New Cases between Existing Cases Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Data Values Inserting New Variables To Change Data Type Previous Next

To Insert New Cases between Existing Cases

In Data View, select any cell in the case (row) below the position where you want to insert the new case. From the menus choose:

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Edit Insert Cases A new row is inserted for the case, and all variables receive the system-missing value. Previous Next

Inserting New Variables

Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor inserting new variables,inserting new variables,inserting new variables variables,variables,variables inserting new variables,inserting new variables,inserting new variables Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor variables,variables,variables Entering data in an empty column in Data View or in an empty row in Variable View automatically creates a new variable with a default variable name (the prefix var and a sequential number) and a default data format type (numeric). The Data Editor inserts the system-missing value for all cases for the new variable. If there are any empty columns in Data View or empty rows in Variable View between the new variable and the existing variables, these rows or columns also become new variables with the system-missing value for all cases. You can also insert new variables between existing variables.

Related Topics
To Insert New Variables between Existing Variables Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Data Values Inserting New Cases To Change Data Type Previous Next

To Insert New Variables between Existing Variables

Select any cell in the variable to the right of (Data View) or below (Variable View) the position where you want to insert the new variable. From the menus choose: Edit Insert Variable A new variable is inserted with the system-missing value for all cases. Previous Next

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To Move Variables
Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor moving variables,moving variables,moving variables variables,variables,variables moving,moving,moving Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor variables,variables,variables To select the variable, click the variable name in Data View or the row number for the variable in Variable View. Drag and drop the variable to the new location. If you want to place the variable between two existing variables: In Data View, drop the variable on the variable column to the right of where you want to place the variable, or in Variable View, drop the variable on the variable row below where you want to place the variable. Previous Next

To Change Data Type

Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor changing data type,changing data type,changing data type data types,data types,data types changing,changing,changing Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor data types,data types,data types You can change the data type for a variable at any time by using the Variable Type dialog box in Variable View. The Data Editor will attempt to convert existing values to the new type. If no conversion is possible, the system-missing value is assigned. The conversion rules are the same as the rules for pasting data values to a variable with a different format type. If the change in data format may result in the loss of missing-value specifications or value labels, the Data Editor displays an alert box and asks whether you want to proceed with the change or cancel it.

Related Topics
Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Data Values Data Conversion for Pasted Values in the Data Editor Variable Names and Variable Labels in Dialog Box Lists Data Editor Data View Variable View Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Custom Variable Attributes Entering Data

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Copying Data Properties Date Variables versus Date Format Variables Transpose Inserting New Cases Inserting New Variables Previous Next

Go to Case
Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor finding cases,finding cases,finding cases cases,cases,cases finding in Data Editor,finding in Data Editor,finding in Data Editor Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor cases,cases,cases The Go to Case dialog box allows you to go to the specified case (row) number in the Data Editor.

Related Topics
To Find a Case in the Data Editor Previous Next

To Find a Case in the Data Editor

cases,cases,cases finding in Data Editor,finding in Data Editor,finding in Data Editor Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor finding cases,finding cases,finding cases cases,cases,cases Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor Make the Data Editor the active window. From the menus choose: Data Go to Case... In the Go to Case dialog box, enter the Data Editor row number for the case.

Related Topics
Go to Case Previous Next

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Case Selection Status in the Data Editor

Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor filtered cases,filtered cases,filtered cases filtered cases,filtered cases,filtered cases in Data Editor,in Data Editor,in Data Editor Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor filtered cases,filtered cases,filtered cases If you have selected a subset of cases but have not discarded unselected cases, unselected cases are marked in the Data Editor with a diagonal line (slash) through the row number.

Related Topics
Random Number Generators Split File Select Cases Data Editor Data View Variable View Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Custom Variable Attributes Entering Data Data Value Restrictions in the Data Editor Editing Data Data Editor Display Options Previous Next

Data Editor Display Options

Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor display options,display options,display options value labels,value labels,value labels in Data Editor,in Data Editor,in Data Editor fonts,fonts,fonts in Data Editor,in Data Editor,in Data Editor Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor value labels,value labels,value labels fonts,fonts,fonts Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor multiple views/panes,multiple views/panes,multiple views/panes multiple views/panes,multiple views/panes,multiple views/panes Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor pane splitter,pane splitter,pane splitter Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor window splitter,window splitter,window splitter Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor

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The View menu provides several display options for the Data Editor: Fonts. This option controls the font characteristics of the data display. Grid Lines. This option toggles the display of grid lines. Value Labels. This option toggles between the display of actual data values and user-defined descriptive value labels. This option is available only in Data View.

Using Multiple Views

In Data View, you can create multiple views (panes) by using the splitters that are located above the horizontal scroll bar and to the right of the vertical scroll bar. You can also use the Window menu to insert and remove pane splitters. To insert splitters: In Data View, from the menus choose: Window Split Splitters are inserted above and to the left of the selected cell. If the top left cell is selected, splitters are inserted to divide the current view approximately in half, both horizontally and vertically. If any cell other than the top cell in the first column is selected, a horizontal pane splitter is inserted above the selected cell. If any cell other than the first cell in the top row is selected, a vertical pane splitter is inserted to the left of the selected cell.

Related Topics
Data Editor Data View Variable View Variable Names Variable Measurement Level Custom Variable Attributes Entering Data Data Value Restrictions in the Data Editor Editing Data Case Selection Status in the Data Editor Previous Next

Run Pending Transformations

Click OK in the dialog box to run any pending transformations. You can then enter or edit data in the Data Editor.

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Click No if you don't want to run pending transformations. If you have pending transformations, you will get a warning the first time that you try to edit data in the Data Editor. You can then edit data in the Data Editor, but your changes may be lost when the pending transformations are run (depending on the nature of the transformations). To avoid pending transformations: From the menus choose: Edit Options Click the Data tab. Select Calculate values immediately. Previous Next

Data Editor Printing

printing,printing,printing data,data,data Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor printing,printing,printing printing,printing,printing Data Editor,Data Editor,Data Editor A data file is printed as it appears on the screen. The information in the currently displayed view is printed. In Data View, the data are printed. In Variable View, data definition information is printed. Grid lines are printed if they are currently displayed in the selected view. Value labels are printed in Data View if they are currently displayed. Otherwise, the actual data values are printed. Use the View menu in the Data Editor window to display or hide grid lines and toggle between the display of data values and value labels.

Related Topics
To Print Data Editor Contents Previous

To Print Data Editor Contents

Make the Data Editor the active window.

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Click the tab for the view that you want to print. From the menus choose: File Print...

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