Hi Paul
I had the same question recently and Jon Peck answered (on-list)as follows
below. I used the COMPDS extension command and found it works fine. You
will need the Python plug-ins. I hope Jon won't mind me copying his message!
Regards,
Clive.
------------------
If you have Version 17, you can use the SPSSINC COMPARE DATASETS extension
command. If you have Version 16, you can use the COMPDS extension command,
which is similar but lacks a few features and does not have a dialog box
interface.
These can be downloaded from SPSS Developer Central
(www.spss.com/devcentral). They require the Python programmability plug-
in. Installation instructions are in the download.
The commands can compare the variable dictionaries and/or the cases in two
datasets (you must open the data files and name them in SPSS before calling
either of these commands). I must warn you that these commands are slow
with wide datasets, so be patient. We are working on improving performance
in the underlying Dataset class used by these commands.
HTH,
Jon Peck
On Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:36:20 -0000, Paul Sillitoe <
[hidden email]>
wrote:
>In SPSS v16 Base System, I have purportedly identical variables and data in
>two large data files (36 variables, 400 cases).
>
>
>
>I need to compare the two files, to ensure that the data are identical.
>
>
>
>(I won't go into the reasons why, I just need to do it!)
>
>
>
>I can't find a way in the Help menus or hard copy guides that I have, to
>compare the two files and flag up any data differences.
>
>
>
>I've tried it with DEB, but there are some other issues doing it that way.
>
>
>
>I'm pretty new to SPSS, have not grasped syntax or working beyond the
>basics, but am very IT literate.
>
>
>
>I'd be very grateful for advice - I assume that this simple procedure is
>possible.
>
>
>
>Thank you
>
>
>
>Paul Sillitoe
>
>
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