PM63241: INDEPENDENT SAMPLES NPTESTS GIVES ERROR THAT A STRING VARIABLE WAS USED BUT NO STRING VARIABLE WAS USED IN THE ANALYSIS

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• You work with IBM SPSS Statistics 20 and would like to create an
  independent samples NPTEST as in the example below for some
  numeric variables V1,V2 and V3:
  
  NPTESTS
    /INDEPENDENT TEST (V1 V2) GROUP (V3) MANN_WHITNEY
    /MISSING SCOPE=ANALYSIS USERMISSING=EXCLUDE
    /CRITERIA ALPHA=0.05  CILEVEL=95.
  
  However, when you run the syntax you get no test table. Instead
  a warning is displayed:
  
  'A string variable was used in a variable list where only
  numeric variables are allowed. Found NR
  Execution of this command stops.'
  
  However, although NR is a string variable you have not used it
  in the analysis.
  
  This issue was reported to IBM SPSS Development. If you get this
  warning check the measurement level of the string variable
  displayed on the warning. Although string variables should only
  have NOMINAL or ORDINAL level it can happen that you have copied
  SCALE level to this variable and saved it with the file. Please
  change the level from SCALE to NOMINAL and run the analysis
  again. The warning will disappear.
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * Users creating independent samples NPTESTS                   *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * You work with IBM SPSS Statistics 20 and would like to       *
  * create an                                                    *
  * independent samples NPTEST as in the example below for some  *
  * numeric variables V1,V2 and V3:                              *
  *                                                              *
  * NPTESTS                                                      *
  *   /INDEPENDENT TEST (V1 V2) GROUP (V3) MANN_WHITNEY          *
  *   /MISSING SCOPE=ANALYSIS USERMISSING=EXCLUDE                *
  *   /CRITERIA ALPHA=0.05  CILEVEL=95.                          *
  *                                                              *
  * However, when you run the syntax you get no test table.      *
  * Instead                                                      *
  * a warning is displayed:                                      *
  *                                                              *
  * 'A string variable was used in a variable list where only    *
  * numeric variables are allowed. Found NR                      *
  * Execution of this command stops.'                            *
  *                                                              *
  * However, although NR is a string variable you have not used  *
  * it                                                           *
  * in the analysis.                                             *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  * This issue has been addressed in IBM SPSS Statistics Fixpack *
  * 2 (20.0.0.2)                                                 *
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• This issue has been addressed in IBM SPSS Statistics Fixpack 2
  (20.0.0.2)
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  SPSS STATISTICS

• Fixed component ID

  5725A54ST

Applicable component levels

• RK00 PSN

     UP

• RK00 PSY

     UP