I imported some data from an excel sheet and tried to sort the data in Minitab. After I selected 4 columns, it has a dialog box saying:
Invilad variable (s) to sort.
Column length differ.
Please specify:
Columns of equal length
Minimum number of column:1

What does this mean? I even tried to specify each column to a fixed length, this dislog box still appears.

I noted that whenever I put in the 4th column, the dialog box appears, the format of the 4th column is numnberic but even after I changed to text. I sill cannot sort this column.

Please help me out here.

Welcome,

Pending response from our fellow Covers (it's always slow during the weekends), you may want to have a look at some tutorial/help pages provided in earlier posts (http://elsmar.com/Forums/showpost.php?p=172235&postcount=6).


http://www.minitab.com/resources/tutorials/
http://plato.acadiau.ca/courses/math.../minitab1.html
http://www.mth.pdx.edu/~streeter/minitab/
http://www.thiel.edu/MathProject/Mintb/Default.htm

I imported some data from an excel sheet and tried to sort the data in Minitab. After I selected 4 columns, it has a dialog box saying:
Invilad variable (s) to sort.
Column length differ.
Please specify:
Columns of equal length
Minimum number of column:1

What does this mean? I even tried to specify each column to a fixed length, this dislog box still appears.

I noted that whenever I put in the 4th column, the dialog box appears, the format of the 4th column is numnberic but even after I changed to text. I sill cannot sort this column.

Please help me out here.

What happens if you sort the data in Excel and then import it to Minitab?

Did you try to sort each column separately??I mean one column each time...!!Try this mate!

Well I know frtom experience Minitab can be very confusing, it is difficult to remember how everything works like which data goes in which tools. I have a Minitab tutorial that I use on how to use it with training videos and interactive models. It will walk you through with ease. If you email me I can get you hooked up with this.


[Added: Moderator Note: The poster can be contacted by email / PM through their profile]

A helpful button here is the info button.

On the toolbars for Minitab look for a white circle with a blue i in the middle.
When you press this the view will show the worksheet on the right and information about the worksheet on the left, such as how long each column is.

One thing I have noticed is that whilst gaps in data appear as * (missing data) in numeric columns, it is possible to put spaces into into a text column, such that a row consists of one space.

The info window should be a quick way of checking column length. ie: do any of the text columns appear longer than they should be indicating hidden spaces being brought across.

The other possibility is that your numeric column is missing a few values and ends short of the other columns. Lets say your data should be 20 rows long, and the result column has only 19 values in it, the last being uncollected, or missing for whatever reason.

In which case, add a star in the numeric columns to make up the total row amount. It is important to realise stars indicate missing data.

If it is spaces in text columns making the data different lengths then just highlight and delete those sections.

Refer back to the info section to see if its all the same length.

I did this two days ago and it worked well when I sorted the data in excel first and then imported to Minitab. but I thought Minitab can do the same thing.

What happens if you sort the data in Excel and then import it to Minitab?

No, I need to sort 4 columns together as each line is a record, I cannot separate them.

Did you try to sort each column separately??I mean one column each time...!!Try this mate!

aha, this seems very helpful. I have already got the issue solved by using excel first and then to minitab. But I will try this method now.
thanks a lot for your help.

A helpful button here is the info button.

On the toolbars for Minitab look for a white circle with a blue i in the middle.
When you press this the view will show the worksheet on the right and information about the worksheet on the left, such as how long each column is.

One thing I have noticed is that whilst gaps in data appear as * (missing data) in numeric columns, it is possible to put spaces into into a text column, such that a row consists of one space.

The info window should be a quick way of checking column length. ie: do any of the text columns appear longer than they should be indicating hidden spaces being brought across.

The other possibility is that your numeric column is missing a few values and ends short of the other columns. Lets say your data should be 20 rows long, and the result column has only 19 values in it, the last being uncollected, or missing for whatever reason.

In which case, add a star in the numeric columns to make up the total row amount. It is important to realise stars indicate missing data.

If it is spaces in text columns making the data different lengths then just highlight and delete those sections.

Refer back to the info section to see if its all the same length.

The info window is a lifesaver...
Especially when copying ansd pasting data across.
Which version of Minitab are you using? becuase the later versions cope with copying and pasting between excel and Minitab almost flawlessly, however earlier versions could confuse 1,000 (with the seperator) as text.
These days it should recognise % and $ as well, but always check that info window just to be sure.