SPSS® 12.0 Command Syntax Reference

1650 VARSTOCASES
The command:
VARSTOCASES
/MAKE newvar FROM var1 TO var4.
creates a new variable, newvar, using the values of var1 through var4. The LIST output for
the new working file is as follows:
caseid newvar
001 .00
001 .05
001 5.00
001 3.00
002 7.00
002 1.00
002 5.00
002 4.00
003 6.00
003 3.00
003 6.00
003 2.00
The values for the new variable newvar are the values from var1 through var4 from the
original data. There are now four rows for each case—one row for each variable that was
named on the FROM list.
MAKE Subcommand
The MAKE subcommand names, and optionally labels, the new variable to be created from
the variables on the FROM list.
• One new variable is required on each MAKE subcommand. It must have a unique name.
• The label for the new variable is optional and, if specified, must be delimited by
apostrophes or quotation marks.
• The new variable will have the values of the variables listed on the FROM list. For each
case in the original data, one new row will be created for each variable on the FROM list.
• All of the variables on the FROM list are required to be of the same type. For example,
they must all be numeric or they must all be string.
• The dictionary information for the new variable (for example, value labels and format) is
taken from the first variable in the FROM list. If string variables of different lengths are
specified, the longest length is used.
• Rows are created in the order in which variables appear on the FROM list.
• Variables that appear on the FROM list will not appear in the new data file.
• Variables that are kept in the new data file and not named on the FROM list will have their
values propagated for each new row.
• When multiple MAKE subcommands are used, a variable may not appear on more than one
FROM list.
• A variable may be listed more than once on a FROM list. Its values are repeated.
• When multiple MAKE subcommands are used, the FROM lists must all contain the same
number of variables (variables that are listed more than once must be included in the
count).