Read text file where n columns are to be ignored

* Read text files where n columns of data are to be ignored.
* (n is a variable).

*(Q) 
>I am writing a read-in
>program that will be used repeatedly an many data sets.  They are all
>identical, except that the initial column of useable data varies. 
>From that point out to the right, all of the files will be the same.
>
>I'd like to set up the read in program where the users will just have
>to enter this starting position once, and it will be automitically
>placed in the rest of the data list command.  This poses two problems:
>a) I can't get the number in the first time and b) how can I
>manipulate it to "add" columns for the rest of the data set?  If I
>could just get something like the program below to work, I believe
>that I can modify if from there.
>
>I'm trying to feed the '6' from the define line into the data list
>line.  Then, I'd like to add on to it for the next part.   Obviously,
>this doesn't work.  I'm very open to any suggestions.
>
>
>***********  Pathetic excuse for syntax follows.
>new file.
>define !start ()'6'!enddefine.
>DATA LIST /Age 1-2 SEX 4 (A) bday !start - (!start + 5).
>BEGIN DATA
>28 M 25000
>26 F 28500
>25 M 30000
>END DATA.
>LIST.

*(A) Posted to SPSS newsgroup by Raynald Levesque on 2002/05/02.
* http://pages.infinit.net/rlevesqu/index.htm.

The following does what you are asking:

new file.
set mprint=no.
define !dlist(col=!TOKENS(1))
!LET !endcol=!LENGTH(!CONCAT(!BLANK(!col),!BLANK(5)))
DATA LIST /Age 1-2 SEX 4 (A) bday !col - !endcol.
!enddefine.

set mprint=yes.
!dlist col=6.

BEGIN DATA
28 M 25000
26 F 28500
25 M 30000
END DATA.
LIST.

***********.
HOWEVER this is going to be cumbersome if you have many variables after bday.
I think the following solution is EASIER: 


DATA LIST FIXED /col1 TO col20 1-20 (A).
BEGIN DATA
28 M xxx25000
26 F xxx28500
25 M xxx30000
END DATA.
LIST.
* The 9 in next line would be changed as needed.
WRITE OUTFILE='c:\\temp\\data.txt' /col1 TO col5 col9 TO col20.
EXECUTE.
* The next line is always the same.
DATA LIST FILE='c:\\temp\\data.txt' FIXED /Age 1-2 SEX 4 (A) bday 6 - 11.
LIST.