VARIABLE ATTRIBUTE adds, modifies, or removes user-defined
attributes associated with variables in the active dataset. Custom
variable attributes are not interpreted by PSPP, but they are saved as
part of system files and may be used by other software that reads
them.
VARIABLE ATTRIBUTE
VARIABLES=var_list
ATTRIBUTE=name(’value’) [name(’value’)]...
ATTRIBUTE=name[index](’value’) [name[index](’value’)]...
DELETE=name [name]...
DELETE=name[index] [name[index]]...
The required VARIABLES subcommand must come first. Specify the
variables to which the following ATTRIBUTE or DELETE subcommand
should apply.
Use the ATTRIBUTE subcommand to add or modify custom variable
attributes. Specify the name of the attribute as an identifier
(see Tokens), followed by the desired value, in parentheses, as a
quoted string. The specified attributes are then added or modified in
the variables specified on VARIABLES. Attribute names that begin with
$ are reserved for PSPP’s internal use, and attribute names
that begin with @ or $@ are not displayed by most PSPP
commands that display other attributes. Other attribute names are not
treated specially.
Attributes may also be organized into arrays. To assign to an array
element, add an integer array index enclosed in square brackets
([ and ]) between the attribute name and value. Array
indexes start at 1, not 0. An attribute array that has a single
element (number 1) is not distinguished from a non-array attribute.
Use the DELETE subcommand to delete an attribute from the variable
specified on VARIABLES. Specify an attribute name by itself to delete
an entire attribute, including all array elements for attribute
arrays. Specify an attribute name followed by an array index in
square brackets to delete a single element of an attribute array. In
the latter case, all the array elements numbered higher than the
deleted element are shifted down, filling the vacated position.
To associate custom attributes with the entire active dataset, instead of
with particular variables, use DATAFILE ATTRIBUTE (see DATAFILE ATTRIBUTE) instead.
VARIABLE ATTRIBUTE takes effect immediately. It is not affected
by conditional and looping structures such as DO IF or
LOOP.