SPSS® 12.0 Command Syntax Reference

VALUE LABELS
Overview
VALUE LABELS varlist value ’label’ value ’label’... [/varlist...]
[/datevarlist ’value’ ’label’...]
Example
VALUE LABELS JOBGRADE ’P’ ’Parttime Employee’ ’C’ ’Customer Support’.
VALUE LABELS deletes all existing value labels for the specified variable(s) and assigns new
value labels. ADD VALUE LABELS can be used to add new labels or alter labels for specified
values without deleting other existing labels.
Basic Specification
The basic specification is a variable name and the individual values with their assigned labels.
Syntax Rules
• Labels can be assigned to any previously defined variables except long string variables.
• It is not necessary to enter value labels for all values for a variable.
• Each value label must be enclosed in apostrophes or quotation marks. For short string
variables, the values themselves must also be enclosed in apostrophes or quotation
marks.
• For date format variables (for example, DATE, ADATE), values expressed in date formats
must be enclosed in apostrophes or quotation marks, and values must be expressed in the
same date format as the defined date format for the variable.
• Value labels can contain any characters, including blanks. To enter an apostrophe as part
of a label, enclose the label in quotation marks or enter a double apostrophe.
• Each value label can be up to 60 characters long.
• The same labels can be assigned to the values of different variables by specifying a list
of variable names. For string variables, the variables specified must be of equal length.
• Multiple sets of variable names and value labels can be specified on one VALUE LABELS
command as long as the sets are separated by slashes.
• To continue a label from one command line to the next, specify a plus (+ ) sign before
the continuation of the label. Each string segment of the label must be enclosed in apostrophes
or quotation marks. To insert a blank between the strings, the blank must be included
in the label specification.
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