SPSS® 12.0 Command Syntax Reference

REREAD 1435
• When the updated base is built, the program returns to the first DATA LIST command in
the input program and reads the next ID from the UPDATE file. If the UPDATE file is
exhausted (#EOF=1), the loop keeps reading records from the master file until it reaches
the end of the file.
• The same task can be accomplished using MATCH FILES. With MATCH FILES, the raw data
must be read and saved as SPSS-format data files first.
COLUMN Subcommand
COLUMN specifies a beginning column for the REREAD command to read data. The default
is column 1. You can specify a numeric expression for the column.
Example
INPUT PROGRAM.
DATA LIST /KIND 10-14 (A).
COMPUTE #COL=1.
IF (KIND EQ ’CHEVY’) #COL=13.
DO IF (KIND EQ ’CHEVY’ OR KIND EQ ’FORD’).
REREAD COLUMN #COL.
DATA LIST /PRICE 3-6 (DOLLAR,2) QUANTITY 7-9.
END CASE.
END IF.
END INPUT PROGRAM.
BEGIN DATA
111295100FORD CHAPMAN AUTO SALES
121199005VW MIDWEST VOLKSWAGEN SALES
11 395025FORD BETTER USED CARS
11 CHEVY 195005 HUFFMAN SALES & SERVICE
11 VW 595020 MIDWEST VOLKSWAGEN SALES
11 CHEVY 295015 SAM’S AUTO REPAIR
12 CHEVY 210 20 LONGFELLOW CHEVROLET
9555032 VW HYDE PARK IMPORTS
END DATA.
LIST.
• The task in this example is to read PRICE and QUANTITY for Chevrolets and Fords only.
A scratch variable is created to indicate the starting column positions for PRICE and
QUANTITY, and a single DATA LIST command is used to read data for both types of
automobiles.
• Scratch variable #COL is set to 13 for Chevrolets and 1 for all other automobiles. For
Fords, the data begin in column 1. Variable PRICE is read from columns 3–6 and
QUANTITY is read from columns 7–9. When the record is a Chevrolet, the data begins
in column 13. Variable PRICE is read from columns 15–18 (15 is 3, 16 is 4, and so
forth), and QUANTITY is read from columns 19–21.