diff --git a/src/frontend/variable.c b/src/frontend/variable.c
index 11e475cee..95af485ba 100644
--- a/src/frontend/variable.c
+++ b/src/frontend/variable.c
@@ -984,3 +984,38 @@ cp_vprint(void)
 
     tfree(vars);
 }
+
+void
+var_set_bool(struct variable *v, bool value)
+{
+  v->va_type = CP_BOOL;
+  v->va_bool = value;
+}
+
+void
+var_set_num(struct variable *v, int value)
+{
+  v->va_type = CP_NUM;
+  v->va_num = value;
+}
+
+void
+var_set_real(struct variable *v, double value)
+{
+  v->va_type = CP_REAL;
+  v->va_real = value;
+}
+
+void
+var_set_string(struct variable *v, char *value)
+{
+  v->va_type = CP_STRING;
+  v->va_string = value;
+}
+
+void
+var_set_vlist(struct variable *v, struct variable *value)
+{
+  v->va_type = CP_LIST;
+  v->va_vlist = value;
+}
diff --git a/src/frontend/variable.h b/src/frontend/variable.h
index 313d7622d..00877b7e8 100644
--- a/src/frontend/variable.h
+++ b/src/frontend/variable.h
@@ -43,4 +43,10 @@ wordlist *cp_varwl(struct variable *var);
 wordlist *cp_variablesubst(wordlist *wlist);
 void free_struct_variable(struct variable *v);
 
+void var_set_bool(struct variable *, bool);
+void var_set_num(struct variable *, int);
+void var_set_real(struct variable *, double);
+void var_set_string(struct variable *, char *);
+void var_set_vlist(struct variable *, struct variable *);
+
 #endif