AUTOFIX subcommand (CASESTOVARS command)

The AUTOFIX subcommand evaluates candidate variables and classifies them as either fixed or as the source of a variable group.

• A candidate variable is a variable in the original data that does not appear on the SPLIT command or on the ID, INDEX, and DROP subcommands.
• An original variable that does not vary within any row group is classified as a fixed variable and is copied into a single variable in the new data file.
• An original variable that has only a single valid value plus the system-missing value within a row group is classified as a fixed variable and is copied into a single variable in the new data file.
• An original variable that does vary within the row group is classified as the source of a variable group. It becomes a variable group in the new data file.
• Use AUTOFIX=NO to overrule the default behavior and expand all variables not marked as ID or fixed or record into a variable group.

YES. Evaluate and automatically classify all candidate variables. The procedure automatically evaluates and classifies all candidate variables. This is the default. If there is a FIXED subcommand, the procedure displays a warning message for each misclassified variable and automatically corrects the error. Otherwise, no warning messages are displayed. This option overrides the FIXED subcommand.

NO. Evaluate all candidate variables and issue warnings. The procedure evaluates all candidate variables and determines if they are fixed. If a variable is listed on the FIXED subcommand but it is not actually fixed (that is, it varies within the row group), a warning message is displayed and the command is not executed. If a variable is not listed on the FIXED subcommand but it is actually fixed (that is, it does not vary within the row group), a warning message is displayed and the command is executed. The variable is classified as the source of a variable group and becomes a variable group in the new data file.