Merge SPSS variables if they don't exist in the original file, using Python

Question

I have an SPSS file that I am removing unwanted variables from, but want to bring in variables from elsewhere if they don't exist. So, I am looking for some Python code to go into my syntax to say - keep all the variables from a list and if any of these don't exist in the first file, then merge them in from the second file. (Python rookie here..)

Thanks!

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 29 '16 at 15:53

Here's an apporach to get you started:

DATA LIST FREE / ID A B C D E.
BEGIN DATA
1 11 12 13 14 15
END DATA.
DATASET NAME DS1.

DATA LIST FREE /  ID D E F G H.
BEGIN DATA
1 24 25 26 27 28
END DATA.
DATASET NAME DS2.

BEGIN PROGRAM PYTHON.
import spssaux, spss
spss.Submit("dataset activate ds1.")
ds1vars=[v.VariableName for v in spssaux.VariableDict()]
spss.Submit("dataset activate ds2.")
ds2vars=[v.VariableName for v in spssaux.VariableDict()]

extravars = [v for v in ds2vars if v not in ds1vars]

spss.Submit("""

DATASET ACTIVATE DS2.
ADD FILES FILE=* /KEEP=ID %s.
MATCH FILES FILE=DS1 /TABLE DS2 /BY ID.
DATASET NAME DS3.
DATASET ACTIVATE DS3.

""" % (" ".join(extravars) ) )

END PROGRAM PYTHON.

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 29 '16 at 18:42

If you just match files regardless of what variables are missing, only the variables that exist in the table and do not exist in the file will be added to the file.
Note though you'll have trouble if you have text vars in both files with identical names but different widths.

Merge SPSS variables if they don't exist in the original file, using Python

2 Answers2