BLANK Subcommand (AUTORECODE command)

The BLANK subcommand specifies how to autorecode blank string values.

• BLANK is followed by an equals sign (=) and the keyword VALID or MISSING.
• The BLANK subcommand applies only to string variables (both short and long strings). System-missing numeric values remain system-missing in the new, autorecoded variable(s).
• The BLANK subcommand has no effect if there are no string variables specified on the VARIABLES subcommand.

VALID . Blank string values are treated as valid, nonmissing values and are autorecoded into nonmissing values. This is the default.

MISSING . Blank string values are autorecoded into a user-missing value higher than the highest nonmissing value.

Example

DATA LIST /stringVar (A1).
BEGIN DATA
a
b

c
d
END DATA.
AUTORECODE
  VARIABLES=stringVar  /INTO NumericVar
  /BLANK=MISSING.

• The values a, b, c, and d are autorecoded into the numeric values 1 through 4.
• The blank value is autorecoded to 5, and 5 is defined as user-missing.