SPSS® 12.0 Command Syntax Reference

88 ADD VALUE LABELS
• The added value labels are stored in the working file dictionary.
• ADD VALUE LABELS can be used for variables that have no previously assigned value labels.
• Adding labels to some values does not affect labels previously assigned to other values.
Limitations
Example
Example
• Value labels cannot exceed 60 characters.
• Value labels cannot be assigned to long string variables.
ADD VALUE LABELS V1 TO V3 1 ’Officials & Managers’
6 ’Service Workers’
/V4 ’N’ ’New Employee’.
• Labels are assigned to the values 1 and 6 of the variables between and including V1 and
V3 in the working data file.
• Following the required slash, a label for value N for variable V4 is specified. N is a string
value and must be enclosed in apostrophes or quotation marks.
• If labels already exist for these values, they are changed in the dictionary. If labels do not
exist for these values, new labels are added to the dictionary.
• Existing labels for other values for these variables are not affected.
ADD VALUE LABELS OFFICE88 1 "EMPLOYEE’S OFFICE ASSIGNMENT PRIOR"
+ " TO 1988".
• The label for value 1 for OFFICE88 is specified on two command lines. The plus sign concatenates
the two string segments and a blank is included at the beginning of the second
string in order to maintain correct spacing in the label.
Value Labels for String Variables
• For short string variables, the values and the labels must be enclosed in apostrophes or
quotation marks.
• If a specified value is longer than the defined width of the variable, the program displays a
warning and truncates the value. The added label will be associated with the truncated value.
• If a specified value is shorter than the defined width of the variable, the program adds
blanks to right-pad the value without warning. The added label will be associated with the
padded value.
• If a single set of labels is to be assigned to a list of string variables, the variables must
have the same defined width (for example, A8).