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<a name="Defining-Variables"></a>
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<a name="Defining-Variables-1"></a>
<h4 class="subsection">5.1.1 Defining Variables</h4>
<a name="index-variables"></a>

<p>Variables come in two basic types, <i>viz</i>: <em>numeric</em> and <em>string</em>.
Variables such as age, height and satisfaction are numeric,
whereas name is a string variable.
String variables are best reserved for commentary data to assist the 
human observer.
However they can also be used for nominal or categorical data.
</p>

<p><a href="#data_002dlist">Example 5.1</a> defines two variables <var>forename</var> and <var>height</var>,
and reads data into them by manual input. 
</p>
<div class="float"><a name="data_002dlist"></a>
<table class="cartouche" border="1"><tr><td>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example"><span class="sansserif">PSPP&gt;</span> data list list /forename (A12) height.
<span class="sansserif">PSPP&gt;</span> begin data.
<span class="sansserif">data&gt;</span> Ahmed 188
<span class="sansserif">data&gt;</span> Bertram 167
<span class="sansserif">data&gt;</span> Catherine 134.231
<span class="sansserif">data&gt;</span> David 109.1
<span class="sansserif">data&gt;</span> end data
<span class="sansserif">PSPP&gt;</span>
</pre></div>
</td></tr></table>

<div class="float-caption"><p><strong>Example 5.1: </strong>Manual entry of data using the <code>DATA LIST</code> command.
Two variables
<var>forename</var> and <var>height</var> are defined and subsequently filled
with  manually entered data.</p></div></div>
<p>There are several things to note about this example.
</p>
<ul>
<li> The words &lsquo;<samp>data list list</samp>&rsquo; are an example of the <code>DATA LIST</code>
command. See <a href="DATA-LIST.html#DATA-LIST">DATA LIST</a>.
It tells <small>PSPP</small> to prepare for reading data.
The word &lsquo;<samp>list</samp>&rsquo; intentionally appears twice.
The first occurrence is part of the <code>DATA LIST</code> call,
whilst the second
tells <small>PSPP</small> that the data is to be read as free format data with
one record per line.

</li><li> The &lsquo;<samp>/</samp>&rsquo; character is important. It marks the start of the list of
variables which you wish to define.

</li><li> The text &lsquo;<samp>forename</samp>&rsquo; is the name of the first variable,
and &lsquo;<samp>(A12)</samp>&rsquo; says that the variable <var>forename</var> is a string
variable and that its maximum length is 12 bytes.
The second variable&rsquo;s name is specified by the text &lsquo;<samp>height</samp>&rsquo;.
Since no format is given, this variable has the default format.
Normally the default format expects numeric data, which should be
entered in the locale of the operating system.
Thus, the example is correct for English locales and other
locales which use a period (&lsquo;<samp>.</samp>&rsquo;) as the decimal separator.
However if you are using a system with a locale which uses the comma (&lsquo;<samp>,</samp>&rsquo;)
as the decimal separator, then you should in the subsequent lines substitute
&lsquo;<samp>.</samp>&rsquo; with &lsquo;<samp>,</samp>&rsquo;.  
Alternatively, you could explicitly tell <small>PSPP</small> that the <var>height</var> 
variable is to be read using a period as its decimal separator by appending the
text &lsquo;<samp>DOT8.3</samp>&rsquo; after the word &lsquo;<samp>height</samp>&rsquo;.
For more information on data formats, see <a href="Input-and-Output-Formats.html#Input-and-Output-Formats">Input and Output Formats</a>.


</li><li> Normally, <small>PSPP</small> displays the  prompt <span class="sansserif">PSPP&gt;</span> whenever it&rsquo;s
expecting a command.
However, when it&rsquo;s expecting data, the prompt changes to <span class="sansserif">data&gt;</span>
so that you know to enter data and not a command.

</li><li> At the end of every command there is a terminating &lsquo;<samp>.</samp>&rsquo; which tells
<small>PSPP</small> that the end of a command has been encountered.
You should not enter &lsquo;<samp>.</samp>&rsquo; when data is expected (<i>ie.</i> when 
the <span class="sansserif">data&gt;</span> prompt is current) since it is appropriate only for
terminating commands.
</li></ul>

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