Recoding variables

[NadiaK]

Hello all,

I am trying to recode a variable containing numbers in decimal form. Whatever number is in that variable, I would like it to be coded as 1 and the missing values to be coded as 0. Does anyone have a quick easy solution?

[Reeza]

Can you post sample data to illustrate what you're trying to accomplish?

Include what you have and what you need.

[Astounding]

How about:

varname = (varname ne . );

In light of subsequent comments ... this approach can handle special missing values with just a slight change:

varname = (varname > .z) ;

[NadiaK]

That's a good idea. Let me try it out!

[Shmuel]

Assuming the present variable is called VAR - do you mean:

   if missing(var) then code=0; else code=1;

[WarrenKuhfeld]

x = n(x);

[NadiaK]

I am not sure I understand this. Bear with me, I'm super new at this stuff!
😌

[NadiaK]

Yes!

[WarrenKuhfeld]

The n function returns the number of nonmissing arguments.  There are 28 types of missing values, so direct comparisons to '.' might work for most data sets, but that does not provide a general solution.  Solutions involving the N and NMISS functions work for any type of missing.  Also, one does not need an IF/ELSE sequence when the goal is to create a single variable.  If the result is Boolean, just assign the result 0 or 1 to a value.  X = (X ne .); is a perfectly fine assignment statement that avoids IF/ELSE (although again, it does not provide a general solution).  Also see IFN  and IFC.  This is harder than it needs to be for your problem, but it again avoids using two statements where one works.  x = ifn(n(x), 1, 0);

[NadiaK]

Wow! Thanks so much!!

[Tom]

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@NadiaK wrote:

Hello all,

I am trying to recode a variable containing numbers in decimal form. Whatever number is in that variable, I would like it to be coded as 1 and the missing values to be coded as 0. Does anyone have a quick easy solution?

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The MISSING() function will return 1 (true) if the value is missing and 0 (false) if not. So you just want 

x = not missing(x);