Hello Everyone,

I am trying to use the last function for a numeric field.
The following is the sample code:

-SET &ECHO=ALL;
TABLE FILE CAR
PRINT
CAR.ORIGIN.COUNTRY
COMPUTE A123/A20 = IF COUNTRY EQ LAST COUNTRY THEN '' ELSE COUNTRY;
CAR.COMP.CAR
COMPUTE DC/D20.2 = IF DEALER_COST EQ LAST DEALER_COST THEN '' ELSE DEALER_COST;
CAR.BODY.RETAIL_COST
ON TABLE NOTOTAL
ON TABLE SET STYLE *
ENDSTYLE
END

The requirement is such that the users need no data if the previous numeric value is the same. (they dont want zero.. they want to see a blank field).
I have also tried to set a variable to blank and call it in the compute/define, but I still get IF THEN ELSE syntax error.

Any suggestions will be welcome.
Thanks for reading.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: sumant,

You can't use '' for a blank in a numeric field, the field format has to be alphanumeric for that to work.

Try this:

SET NODATA = ''
TABLE FILE CAR
PRINT
COUNTRY
COMPUTE A123/A20 = IF COUNTRY EQ LAST COUNTRY THEN '' ELSE COUNTRY;
CAR
COMPUTE DC/D20.2 MISSING ON= IF DEALER_COST EQ LAST DEALER_COST THEN MISSING ELSE DEALER_COST;
RETAIL_COST
ON TABLE NOTOTAL
ON TABLE SET STYLE *
ENDSTYLE
END

Thanks Tewy for the reply.
It works fine for the CAR file but when I actually implement it in my code, it gives me a 8 digit garbage value instead of blank.

Then it has to do with your actual data type. Can we see your master file description for that field(assuming it is a field in a master file)? Also, is the field stored externally in a database? We may need to see that format as well...

It's best to use LAST with a sort field to ensure data integrity.

Hello J and Doug,

The master file description for the field is as follows:

FIELDNAME=OPENING_BALANCE, ALIAS=OPENING_BALANCE, USAGE=P21.4, ACTUAL=P10,
MISSING=ON, $

The type from the Database is NUMBER(19,4).

Thanks

As long as your data is in the correct order, how about suppressing the zero with a numeric display option - "S" for Zero suppress:

TABLE FILE CAR
PRINT
CAR.ORIGIN.COUNTRY
COMPUTE A123/A20 = IF COUNTRY EQ LAST COUNTRY THEN '' ELSE COUNTRY;
CAR.COMP.CAR
COMPUTE DC/D20.2S = IF DEALER_COST EQ LAST DEALER_COST THEN 0 ELSE DEALER_COST;
CAR.BODY.RETAIL_COST
ON TABLE NOTOTAL
END

Ah yes, the packed decimal...
I forgot about Francis's suggestion. That will probably do.

Thanks a lot Francis and J.
Franscis's suggestion of supressing it worked fine.

So I guess zero is not a valid value in your data ?

ah!

The users only want to see a blank if the previous numberic value is the same.

But can you have two numeric values of zero, therefore the preceding one whould be blank ?

If this is the case, then zero suppress is not the way.

I have checked the data for various date ranges and I currently dont see any 0's in the values for it.
There has to be some amount in the field.

So the method of suppressing holds till there is change in the data.

Well thats the important part, the analysis.

Fingers crossed that zeros won't creep in.

Keeping the fingers crossed.