In article <199704160917.LAA25300@server-m.burda.com>, Burda Medien Vertrieb Offenburg <brinkma@bmv.burda.com> wrote: >Hi to everyone, > >this morning I tried to create a scratch variable using the Lead >function available with the Create command. The syntax was this: > >Create #leadf1=lead(folge,1). > >The accompanying error message read: > >>Error # 15655 in column 8. Text: #LFA >>The name given for a result variable is too long, contains an invalid >>character, is a reserved word, or is otherwise invalid. This command >>not executed. > >The name and its characters should be okay. > >I'm not fully sure, but is it impossible to create scratch variables >usinge CREATE? > >Why isn't the LEAD function available on the COMPUTE command? > >If not, is there some workaround since I need the LEAD function? I >would like to avoid creating new permanent variables like leadf1, >since I would have to this for 10 variables, leads 1 to 5, and this >is part of a looping procedure passing over several thousand >data rows. I am just afraid processing time might surge. I am using >6.1.3 for WfW 3.11.

I'll leave the questions of why to those more familiar with the area, and just offer a solution: sort the data in reverse order and use COMPUTE with LAG, then resort.

-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- David Nichols Senior Support Statistician SPSS, Inc. Phone: (312) 329-3684 Internet: nichols@spss.com Fax: (312) 329-3668 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------