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'''`!concat(value...)`''' concatenate all values. '''`!concat(value...)`''' concatenates all values.
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'''`!unquote(value)`''' return the value un-quoted, with internal escaped quotes un-escaped. '''`!unquote(value)`''' returns the value un-quoted, with internal escaped quotes un-escaped.

SPSS Macro String Functions

SPSS macros offer the following library of string functions.

Contents

  1. SPSS Macro String Functions
    1. Quoting
    2. Functions

Quoting

Quoting is technically optional within a macro, as all values within a macro are technically strings. Nonetheless, it is best practice to quote strings properly.

Consider the following:

Expression

Result

!UPCASE(abc)

ABC

!UPCASE('abc')

ABC

!UPCASE(a b c)

error

!UPCASE('a b c')

A B C

!UPCASE(a/b/c)

error

!UPCASE('a/b/c')

A/B/C

!UPCASE(!CONCAT(a,b,c))

ABC

!UPCASE(!CONCAT('a','b','c'))

ABC

!UPCASE(!CONCAT(a, b, c))

ABC

!UPCASE(!CONCAT('a ','b ','c '))

A B C

!UPCASE(!CONCAT('a,b,c'))

A,B,C

!QUOTE(abc)

'ABC'

!QUOTE('abc')

abc

!QUOTE('Bill"s')

'Bill"s'

!QUOTE("Bill's")

"Bill's"

!QUOTE(Bill's)

error

!QUOTE(!UNQUOTE('Bill"s'))

'Bill"s'

Functions

!blanks(N) returns a string composed of N blank spaces.

!concat(value...) concatenates all values.

!eval(value) scans a value for macros and evaluates. This is necessary for evaluating an externally defined macro within a macro definition.

!head(value...) copies the first token from the values.

!index(value, pattern) returns the integer position of a pattern inside a value. If the value does not contain the pattern, this function returns 0.

!length(value) returns the integer length of a value.

!null returns an empty string. This is mostly useful for checking if a macro parameter was specified (i.e. !IF (!1 !NE !NULL)).

!quote(value) returns the value quoted, with internal quotes escaped.

!substr(value, index [, length]) copies a substring from a value. The substring starts at position index and continues for length characters. If length is not specified, the substring copies until the end of the original value.

!tail(value...) copies the second through last tokens from the values. The complement to !head().

!unquote(value) returns the value un-quoted, with internal escaped quotes un-escaped.

!upcase(value) translates lowercase characters into uppercase.

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SPSS/Macro/StringFunctions (last edited 2023-06-14 15:45:06 by DominicRicottone)