SPSS Macro Arithmetic

SPSS macros do not offer any numeric functions or operators directly, but certain forms of arithmetic can be hacked with string functions.

Note that the below macros demonstrate how to operate on externally declared macros (e.g. define !year() 2021 !enddefine). If passing a value into a macro as an argument, the !eval() call can be eliminated.

Contents

  1. SPSS Macro Arithmetic
    1. Addition
      1. !a + 1
      2. !a + !b
    2. Subtraction
      1. !a - 1
      2. !a - !b
    3. Multiplication
      1. !a * !b

Addition

!a + 1

define !main()
  *Short.
  !let !c = !length(!concat(!blanks(!eval(!a)), !blanks(1)))

  *Readable.
  !let !c = !length(
    !concat(
      !blanks(!eval(!a)),
      !blanks(1)
    )
  )
!enddefine

!a + !b

define !main()
  *Short.
  !let !c = !length(!concat(!blanks(!eval(!a)), !blanks(!b)))

  *Readable.
  !let !c = !length(
    !concat(
      !blanks(!eval(!a)),
      !blanks(!eval(!b))
    )
  )
!enddefine

Subtraction

!a - 1

define !main()
  *Short.
  !let !c = !length(!substr(!blanks(!eval(!a)),2))

  *Readable.
  !let !c = !length(
    !substr(
      !blanks(!eval(!a)),
      2
    )
  )
!enddefine

!a - !b

define !main()
  *Short.
  !let !c = !length(!substr(!blanks(!eval(!a)),!length(!concat(!blanks(!eval(!b)),!blanks(1)))))

  *Readable.
  !let !c = !length(
    !substr(
      !blanks(!eval(!a)),
      !length(
        !concat(
          !blanks(!eval(!b)),
          !blanks(1)
        )
      )
    )
  )
!enddefine

Multiplication

!a * !b

define !main()
  !let !sum = !blanks(0)
  !do !x = 1 !to !eval(!a)
    !let !sum = !concat(!sum, !blanks(!eval(!b)))
  !doend
  !let !c = !length(!sum)
!enddefine

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