@display
AGGREGATE
- OUTFILE=@{*,'filename'@}
+ OUTFILE=@{*,'file-name',file_handle@}
/PRESORTED
/DOCUMENT
/MISSING=COLUMNWISE
for summarizing case contents.
The OUTFILE subcommand is required and must appear first. Specify a
-system file by file name string or file handle (@pxref{FILE HANDLE}).
+system file, portable file, or scratch file by file name or file
+handle (@pxref{File Handles}).
The aggregated cases are written to this file. If @samp{*} is
-specified, then the aggregated cases replace the active file.
+specified, then the aggregated cases replace the active file. Use of
+OUTFILE to write a portable file or scratch file is a PSPP extension.
By default, the active file will be sorted based on the break variables
before aggregation takes place. If the active file is already sorted
@item FIRST(var_name)
First non-missing value in break group. The aggregation variable
receives the complete dictionary information from the source variable.
+The sort performed by AGGREGATE (and by SORT CASES) is stable, so that
+the first case with particular values for the break variables before
+sorting will also be the first case in that break group after sorting.
@item FOUT(var_name, low, high)
Fraction of values strictly outside the specified range of constants.
@item LAST(var_name)
Last non-missing value in break group. The aggregation variable
receives the complete dictionary information from the source variable.
+The sort performed by AGGREGATE (and by SORT CASES) is stable, so that
+the last case with particular values for the break variables before
+sorting will also be the last case in that break group after sorting.
@item MAX(var_name)
Maximum value. The aggregation variable receives the complete
The aggregation functions listed above exclude all user-missing values
from calculations. To include user-missing values, insert a period
-(@samp{.}) between the function name and left parenthesis
-(e.g.@: @samp{SUM.}).
+(@samp{.}) at the end of the function name. (e.g.@: @samp{SUM.}).
+(Be aware that specifying such a function as the last token on a line
+will cause the period to be interpreted as the end of the command.)
@cmd{AGGREGATE} both ignores and cancels the current @cmd{SPLIT FILE}
settings (@pxref{SPLIT FILE}).
The target variable values are always nonnegative integers. They are
never missing. The target variable is assigned an F8.2 output format.
-@xref{Input/Output Formats}. Any variables, including long and short
+@xref{Input and Output Formats}. Any variables, including long and short
string variables, may be test variables.
User-missing values of test variables are treated just like any other
All variables in the transposed active file are numeric. String
variables take on the system-missing value in the transposed file.
-No subcommands are required. The VARIABLES subcommand specifies
-variables that will be transformed into cases. Variables not specified
-are discarded. By default, all variables are selected for
-transposition.
+No subcommands are required. If specified, the VARIABLES subcommand
+selects variables to be transformed into cases, and variables not
+specified are discarded. If the VARIABLES subcommand is omitted, all
+variables are selected for transposition.
The variables specified by NEWNAMES, which must be a string variable, is
-used to give names to the variables created by @cmd{FLIP}. If
+used to give names to the variables created by @cmd{FLIP}. Only the
+first 8 characters of the variable are used. If
NEWNAMES is not
specified then the default is a variable named CASE_LBL, if it exists.
If it does not then the variables created by FLIP are named VAR000
there are no remaining possibilities. If the latter occurs then the
FLIP operation aborts.
-The resultant dictionary contains a CASE_LBL variable, which stores the
-names of the variables in the dictionary before the transposition. If
-the active file is subsequently transposed using @cmd{FLIP}, this
-variable can
-be used to recreate the original variable names.
+The resultant dictionary contains a CASE_LBL variable, a string
+variable of width 8, which stores the names of the variables in the
+dictionary before the transposition. Variables names longer than 8
+characters are truncated. If the active file is subsequently
+transposed using @cmd{FLIP}, this variable can be used to recreate the
+original variable names.
-FLIP honors N OF CASES. It ignores TEMPORARY, so that ``temporary''
+FLIP honors @cmd{N OF CASES} (@pxref{N OF CASES}). It ignores
+@cmd{TEMPORARY} (@pxref{TEMPORARY}), so that ``temporary''
transformations become permanent.
@node IF, RECODE, FLIP, Data Manipulation
@vindex SORT CASES
@display
-SORT CASES BY var_list.
+SORT CASES BY var_list[(@{D|A@}] [ var_list[(@{D|A@}] ] ...
@end display
@cmd{SORT CASES} sorts the active file by the values of one or more
Specify BY and a list of variables to sort by. By default, variables
are sorted in ascending order. To override sort order, specify (D) or
(DOWN) after a list of variables to get descending order, or (A) or (UP)
-for ascending order. These apply to the entire list of variables
-preceding them.
+for ascending order. These apply to all the listed variables
+up until the preceding (A), (D), (UP) or (DOWN).
+
+The sort algorithms used by @cmd{SORT CASES} are stable. That is,
+records that have equal values of the sort variables will have the
+same relative order before and after sorting. As a special case,
+re-sorting an already sorted file will not affect the ordering of
+cases.
@cmd{SORT CASES} is a procedure. It causes the data to be read.
@cmd{SORT CASES} attempts to sort the entire active file in main memory.
-If main memory is exhausted, it falls back to a merge sort algorithm that
-involves writing and reading numerous temporary files.
+If workspace is exhausted, it falls back to a merge sort algorithm that
+involves creates numerous temporary files.
@cmd{SORT CASES} may not be specified following TEMPORARY.
@setfilename ignored
projects / pspp-builds.git / blobdiff