Troubleshooting
Problem
I am using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows. I have been sent a dataset where the embedded zeroes have been changed to blanks. I need to transform this field into a TIME variable. Is there any way to salvage this data?
Resolving The Problem
It is usually possible to use the SPSS transformation language to correct various data entry errors. The following illustrates the use of the INDEX and SUBSTR functions to perform a 'search and replace' operation.
* Sample data *.
DATA LIST / T 1-4 (A).
BEGIN DATA
8 5 (08:05)
1 5 (10:05)
1115 (11:15)
END DATA .
* Insert 0's where needed *.
LOOP.
COMPUTE #I=INDEX(T,' ').
IF #I>0 SUBSTR(T,#I,1)='0'.
END LOOP IF #I=0.
* Convert 4 character string to time and format it * .
COMPUTE TIME=NUMBER(CONCAT(SUBSTR(T,1,2),':',SUBSTR(T,3,2)),TIME5).
FORMAT TIME (TIME5).
LIST
Related Information
Historical Number
17174
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Document Information
More support for:
IBM SPSS Statistics
Software version:
Not Applicable
Operating system(s):
Windows
Document number:
417727
Modified date:
16 April 2020
UID
swg21476146