Single-response categorical variables

By default, the SPSS Statistics SAV DSC sets the value of the IBM SPSS Statistics variable to the index (or "sequential") value of a category in the MDM variable when the response corresponds to that category. That is, the SPSS Statistics SAV DSC sets the value of the IBM SPSS Statistics variable to 1 if the response corresponds to the first category in the MDM variable, to 2 if the response corresponds to the second category in the MDM variable, and so on. In IBM SPSS Statistics, these are known as the native values. However, you can specify that you want to write different values by using one or more of the settings in the following table:

To make the SPSS Statistics SAV DSC write this value	Use this property (see Properties and settings used by the SPSS Statistics SAV DSC)
The value of the MDM category's Value property. That is, the MDM mapped (or “unique”) category value. See also IElementList.Value in the MDM Object Model Reference.	UseMetaDataValues
A custom value that you define.	Value
The value of the MDM category's Factor property. See also IElement.Value in the MDM Object Model Reference.	ExportFactors
The value of the MDM category's NativeValue property. See also IElementInstance.NativeValue in the MDM Object Model Reference.	ReuseNativeValues

If more than one of these settings are set, a higher entry in the table overrides a lower one.

When the creates an MDM document from a .sav file, it does not store the IBM SPSS Statistics raw category values in the MDM document (the raw values are the actual data values stored in the .sav file). Therefore, you cannot choose to write the IBM SPSS Statistics raw category values when writing to a .sav file, even if the MDM document that you are using to define the output data was originally generated from a .sav file.

If the response is an empty categorical response or a NULL value, the SPSS Statistics SAV DSC writes the system-missing value (see Missing values when writing to a .sav file) to the IBM SPSS Statistics variable.

To exclude an MDM category from the IBM SPSS Statistics variable, use the Visible property (see Properties and settings used by the SPSS Statistics SAV DSC.