User Guide

92
Chapter 5
a dollar format variable, the displayed dollar sign becomes part of the string value.
Values that exceed the defined string variable width are truncated.
String into
Numeric or Date.
String values that contain acceptable characters for the
numeric or date format of the target cell are converted to the equivalent numeric
or date value. For example, a string value of 25/12/91 is converted to a valid date
if the forma
t type of the target cell is one of the day-month-year formats, but it
is converted to system-missing if the format type of the target cell is one of the
month-day-year formats.
Date into N
umeric.
Date and time values are converted to a number of seconds if
the target cell is one of the numeric formats (for example, numeric, dollar, dot, or
comma). Since dates are stored internally as the number of seconds since October 14,
1582, con
verting dates to numeric values can yield some extremely large numbers.
For example, the date 10/29/91 is converted to a numeric value of 12,908,073,600.
NumericintoDateorTime.Numeric values are converted to dates or times if the value
represen
ts a number of seconds that can produce a valid date or time. For dates,
numeric values less than 86,400 are converted to the system-missing value.
Inserti
ng New C ases
Enterin
g data in a cell in a blank row automatically creates a new case. The Data
Editor inserts the system-missing value for all of the other variables for that case. If
there are any blank rows between the new case and the existing cases, the blank rows
also bec
ome new cases with the system-missing value for all variables. You can also
insert new cases between existing cases.
To Insert New Cases between E xisting Cases
E In the Data view, select any cell in the case (row) below the position where you want
to inse
rt the new case.
E From t
he menus choose:
Data
Insert Cases
A new row is inserted for the case and all variables receive the system-missing value.