Freefield Data (DATA LIST command)

FREE can read freefield data with multiple cases recorded on one record or with one case recorded on more than one record. LIST can read freefield data with one case on each record.

• Line endings are read as delimiters between values.
• If you use FORTRAN-like format specifications (for example, DOLLAR12.2), width and decimal specifications are not used to read the data but are assigned as print and write formats for the variable.

For freefield data without explicitly specified value delimiters:

• Commas and blanks are interpreted as delimiters between values.
• Extra blanks are ignored.
• Multiple commas with or without blank space between them can be used to specify missing data.
• If a valid value contains commas or blank spaces, enclose the values in quotes.

For data with explicitly specified value delimiters (for example, DATA LIST FREE (",")):

• Multiple delimiters without any intervening space can be used to specify missing data.
• The specified delimiters cannot occur within a data value, even if you enclose the value in quotes.

Note: Freefield format with specified value delimiters is typically used to read data in text format written by a computer program, not for data manually entered in a text editor.