Comparing the format of two files

[beny]

I receive SPSS files from a vendor on a regular basis. This file may have as many as 600 variables.
Currently, I copy the variable names and the variable labels from the new file into excel and copy the same information from the prior file I received so I can compare them and make sure the file format has not changed.

Is there a more elegant way to identify what variable names or labels have changed from a prior month.

[Maguin, Eugene]

Look at the Display command, Names subcommand placed within an OMS-OMSEnd command.

Do this for both files and then match the two 'names' files and use the In subcommand. Make sure to sort the 'Names' files before matching.

Gene Maguin

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of beny
Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2012 1:17 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Comparing the format of two files

I receive SPSS files from a vendor on a regular basis. This file may have as many as 600 variables.
Currently, I copy the variable names and the variable labels from the new file into excel and copy the same information from the prior file I received so I can compare them and make sure the file format has not changed.

Is there a more elegant way to identify what variable names or labels have changed from a prior month.





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[Jon K Peck]

With V21, this is a built-in capability.  With earlier versions, the SPSSINC COMPARE DATASETS extension command can be used.


Jon Peck (no "h") aka Kim
Senior Software Engineer, IBM
[hidden email]
new phone: [phone]




From:        beny <[hidden email]>
To:        [hidden email],
Date:        10/18/2012 11:24 AM
Subject:        [SPSSX-L] Comparing the format of two files
Sent by:        "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <[hidden email]>

---

I receive SPSS files from a vendor on a regular basis. This file may have as
many as 600 variables.
Currently, I copy the variable names and the variable labels from the new
file into excel and copy the same information from the prior file I received
so I can compare them and make sure the file format has not changed.

Is there a more elegant way to identify what variable names or labels have
changed from a prior month.





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View this message in context: http://spssx-discussion.1045642.n5.nabble.com/Comparing-the-format-of-two-files-tp5715737.html
Sent from the SPSSX Discussion mailing list archive at Nabble.com.

=====================
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[hidden email] (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the
command. To leave the list, send the command
SIGNOFF SPSSX-L
For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command
INFO REFCARD