User Guide

81
Data Editor
Variable T ype
Variable Type specifies the data type for each variable. By default, all new variables
are assumed to be numeric. You can use Variable Type to change the data type. The
contents of
the Variable Type dialog box depend on the data type selected. For some
data types, there are text boxes for width and number of decimals; for others, you can
simply select a format from a scrollable list of examples.
Figure 5-4
Variable Type dialog box
The available data types are as follows:
Numeric
.
A variable whose values are numbers. Values are displayed in standard
numericformat.TheDataEditoracceptsnumeric values in standard format or in
scientific notation.
Comma. A
numeric variable whose values are displayed with commas delimiting
every three places, and with the period as a decimal delimiter. The Data Editor
accepts numeric values for comma variables with or without commas, or in scientific
notati
on. Values cannot contain commas to the right of the decimal indicator.
Dot. A numeric variable whose values are displayed with periods delimiting every
three places and with the comma as a decimal delimiter. The Data Editor accepts
numeri
c values for dot variables with or without periods, or in scientific notation.
Values cannot contain periods to the right of the decimal indicator.
Scientific notation. A numeric variable whose values are displayed with an imbedded
Eanda
signed power-of-ten exponent. The Data Editor accepts numeric values for
such variables with or without an exponent. The exponent can be preceded either