8.6 MISSING VALUES

     MISSING VALUES var_list (missing_values).
     
     missing_values takes one of the following forms:
             num1
             num1, num2
             num1, num2, num3
             num1 THRU num2
             num1 THRU num2, num3
             string1
             string1, string2
             string1, string2, string3
     As part of a range, LO or LOWEST may take the place of num1;
     HI or HIGHEST may take the place of num2.

MISSING VALUES sets user-missing values for numeric and short string variables. Long string variables may not have missing values.

Specify a list of variables, followed by a list of their user-missing values in parentheses. Up to three discrete values may be given, or, for numeric variables only, a range of values optionally accompanied by a single discrete value. Ranges may be open-ended on one end, indicated through the use of the keyword LO or LOWEST or HI or HIGHEST.

The MISSING VALUES command takes effect immediately. It is not affected by conditional and looping constructs such as DO IF or LOOP.