SPSS Code Fragments
Reading a multiple-line-per-subject data file
SPSS will read datasets with multiple lines per subject. The method used
below requires that the data be in fixed format. The command records
gives the number of lines of data per subject. The /1 and /2 list
the variables and their position on the respective lines of data.
* two lines of data per subject .
data list records=2
/1 a 1 b 3 c 5
/2 d 1 e 3 f 5 .
begin data .
1 2 3
4 5 6
1 3 5
2 4 6
end data .
list .
Data List will read 2 records from the command file
Variable Rec Start End Format
a 1 1 1 F1.0
b 1 3 3 F1.0
c 1 5 5 F1.0
d 2 1 1 F1.0
e 2 3 3 F1.0
f 2 5 5 F1.0
List
a b c d e f
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 3 5 2 4 6
Number of cases read: 2 Number of cases listed: 2
* three lines of data per subject .
data list records=3
/ a 1 b 3
/ c 1 d 3
/ e 1 f 3 .
begin data .
1 2
3 4
5 6
1 3
5 2
4 6
9 8
7 6
5 4
end data.
list .
Data List will read 3 records from the command file
Variable Rec Start End Format
a 1 1 1 F1.0
b 1 3 3 F1.0
c 2 1 1 F1.0
d 2 3 3 F1.0
e 3 1 1 F1.0
f 3 3 3 F1.0
List
a b c d e f
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 3 5 2 4 6
9 8 7 6 5 4
Number of cases read: 3 Number of cases listed: 3
* example reading in a file;
* this example assumes that you have saved this data set as a text file in "d:/data/multiple-line.txt";
* note v3 is missing for case 2 .
100010133346851 1 1330 7954140200 5069
1000102 201 7 * 2 2 2 * 4 4 8 8 8 john
1000103 5- - 533
1000104 59 2 633
1000105 5- - 522
1000106 222222222222
1000107 34
1000108 2336
1000109 2336
1000110 2555
1000111 400 2
100020113226652 1 1 1340 7952140200 5069
1000202 101 7 * * * * 6 * 7 7 carl
1000203 2 1 4 2 1 431401
1000204 2 1 4 2 1 432404
1000205 5- 3 622
1000206 543343442243
1000207 44
1000208 122
1000209 1223
1000210 2555
1000211 260
data list file="d:/data/multiple-line.txt" records=11
/1 id 1-5 line 6-7 v1 8-15
/2 v2 19-21 v3 58-59 v4 79-83 (A)
/3 v5 20 (A)
/11 v6 20-24.
Data List will read 11 records from d:\data\multiple-line.txt
Variable Rec Start End Format
id 1 1 5 F5.0
line 1 6 7 F2.0
v1 1 8 15 F8.0
v2 2 19 21 F3.0
v3 2 58 59 F2.0
v4 2 79 83 A5
v5 3 20 20 A1
v6 11 20 24 F5.0
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