New Variable dialog box

Survey Tabulation > Working with variables > New Variable dialog box

You use the New Variable dialog box to create a new variable. The top part of the dialog box enables you to define the new variable's name, description, data type, and definition. You need to define these before you define the axis expression on the tabs below.

To open the New Variable dialog box

1 In the main UNICOM Intelligence Reporter - Survey Tabulation window, select the Define tab.

2 If you want to create the variable by copying an existing variable, select the variable from the Variable List. If you want to create the variable by merging existing variables, select two or more variables.

3 On the menu, choose one of:

Variables > Copy

Variables > Merge

Variables > New Advanced

Fields

Name

UNICOM Intelligence Reporter - Survey Tabulation generates a name for the new variable. You can change the name if you want, but you must make sure that the name is valid. See Naming conventions for more information.

Variable Definition

This displays the formula used to derive the new variable. If you have created the new variable using the New Advanced option, click the link to enter your own formula. However, you should set the Data Type below first. You do not normally need to change the variable definition when you create a new variable using the Copy or Merge commands. See Edit Variable Definition dialog box for more information.

Label

Enter a description for the variable as you want it to appear on your tables.

Data Type

Defines the new variable's data type. When you are creating a copy of a variable, you should select the same data type as the variable you are copying. The options are:

▪Boolean. Stores a value of true or false for each case. You typically create a Boolean variable for use as a filter.

▪Categorical. Stores one or a limited number of distinct values for each respondent. Each value corresponds to a category in the category list, which in a categorical variable that is based on a question, represents the possible answers. Categorical variables can be single response or multiple response.

▪Date. Stores date and time information.

▪Numeric (Long). Stores one numeric integer value for each case.

▪Numeric (Double). Stores one numeric real value for each case.

▪Text. Stores one text string for each case.

Tabs

Below this there are two or three tabs, depending on the variable’s data type. The information on these tabs defines the variable’s axis expression (see Axis expressions, which controls how the variable will appear in a table. These tabs are the same as those in the Edit Variable dialog box:

▪Edit Variable dialog box: Edit tab

▪Edit Variable dialog box: Banding tab

▪Edit Variable dialog box: Script tab

Note The axis expression defines how the variable is to appear in a table. The axis expression is not shown in the ToolTips in the Variable List and is not available for defining filter conditions. For example, suppose you use the Banding tab to categorize the values in a numeric variable into two bands called High and Low. When you subsequently create a filter based on this numeric variable, the High and Low bands will not appear in the Filter dialog box and you will not be able to specify them in an advanced expression. See Defining the conditions for more information.