FILTER

FILTER BY VAR_NAME.
FILTER OFF.

FILTER allows a boolean-valued variable to be used to select cases from the data stream for processing.

To set up filtering, specify BY and a variable name. Keyword BY is optional but recommended. Cases which have a zero or system- or user-missing value are excluded from analysis, but not deleted from the data stream. Cases with other values are analyzed. To filter based on a different condition, use transformations such as COMPUTE or RECODE to compute a filter variable of the required form, then specify that variable on FILTER.

FILTER OFF turns off case filtering.

Filtering takes place immediately before cases pass to a procedure for analysis. Only one filter variable may be active at a time. Normally, case filtering continues until it is explicitly turned off with FILTER OFF. However, if FILTER is placed after TEMPORARY, it filters only the next procedure or procedure-like command.