Disappearing Files - Has this happened to you?
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Disappearing Files - Has this happened to you?
 
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I have had an odd problem intermittently over the past few months. Several
times I have had SPSS sav files disappear from my system. I will be working on a project using one SAV file over the course of a couple of weeks. Periodically I have created new variables or made changes to the file. Each day when I shut down, SPSS asks me if I want to save the current file. If I have made changes I click on OK. This is usually just before I shut down SPSS and my PC for the day. Then when I start up the next morning SPSS cannot find that file, and neither can I. SPSS TS tried to help me with this yesterday and neither of us could find any trace of the file. Had I simply deleted it, it would have been in the Recycle Bin, but it was not. Has anyone out there had a similar problem? I am using V16.01 on a PC using XP Pro. Thanks, Steve ===================== To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to [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 |
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I am having the same problem as Steve R. with my .sav file going missing from my machine. It completely disappears. Even when a search for all *.sav files is performed, that particular file does not come up. I don't necessarily have to shut down to have this happen, I save the .sav file, close SPSS, and when I return to the file several hours later to work on it, it is missing. The only difference between Steve's problem and mine is the fact that I am using SPSS 16 on a MAC OSX 10.5 Leopard. I thought it was a bug in the MAC version of SPSS, but it seems to be a wider problem. Please help. Any suggestions would greatly be appreciated.
Rob Prager
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Re: Disappearing Files - Has this happened to you?
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In reply to this post by Steve Runfeldt
At 09:39 AM 1/16/2008, Steve Runfeldt wrote:
>Several times I have had SPSS sav files disappear from my system. I >will be working on a project using one SAV file over the course of a >couple of weeks. Periodically I have created new variables or made >changes to the file. Each day when I shut down, SPSS asks me if I >want to save the current file. If I have made changes I click on >OK. This is usually just before I shut down SPSS and my PC for the >day. Then when I start up the next morning SPSS cannot find that >file, and neither can I. Ouch. One thing I'd certainly do here, is make sure that SPSS is keeping a journal file of the syntax it runs: * Menu Edit > Options/General tab: Check 'Record syntax in journal' and 'Append'. (To choose the file name and what directory it's in, click "Browse".) That writes a transcript of all syntax run, to the selected file. Now, some but not all operations you do on a Data Editor window will be recorded in this file. Opening and saving the file will be recorded, as commands GET FILE=... and SAVE OUTFILE=... Changes you click up off the Data and Transform menus well be recorded. However variables you define interactively, and data you hand-enter or edit, won't be recorded. So it won't save you; but it may give you some idea what SPSS did or didn't *think* it was saving. Beyond that, I can only suggest the standard precautions, when editing a large and valuable file: . Every day, start by making a copy of the file as of the end of the previous day, and edit the new copy. Make the old copy read/only. (If SPSS seems to be losing even .SAV files that *aren't* actively being worked on, you might even want to copy the old files to CD-R, or a backup disk.) . Issue 'save' periodically, while you're working. (However, while that will help if only the final SAVE didn't happen, it won't help if the original file is somehow getting erased as well.) In general, work in the smallest pieces you conveniently can. But while that's very good advice, SPSS still shouldn't be having the problems you seem to be seeing. The journal may be illuminating. -Best of luck to you, Richard ===================== To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to [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 |
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In reply to this post by Steve Runfeldt
A co-worker of mine has experienced a very similar problem (using SPSS 16.0.1 on Win XP Pro SP2). Here is her description of what happened:
I was working with an SPSS file in 16.0 yesterday and created around 10-15 new variables. I have record of these variables being saved in my SPSS journal. I saved this file in a folder. I was using this file this morning with all of the variables I had created yesterday present. I shut down SPSS for one of our tech-suppprt people to help me with an internet-related problem. After he left, I tried to reopen that same file I had been working on. It was showing up in my recently used data. I tried to open it from there and it said it could not be found. I went to the source: my network folder. The file was totally gone. I have opened up all other SPSS files that I was using in case I saved over the top of it or something. It is just gone. This has made our department concerned about possible problems with SPSS 16.0 or with the network. Has anyone heard anything more about this issue? A rigorous backup-and-save regimen will of course be helpful, but it won't solve the problem of losing your most recent work.
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Steve,
You didn't accidentally save over another .sav file with that other file's name, did you? It's not easy to do, but it happens. Try opening up all other .sav files in the place you intended to save it, and see if it contains your data (and erased the previous file's). Good luck, -Gary On Feb 13, 2008 7:40 AM, gsummers <[hidden email]> wrote: > A co-worker of mine has experienced a very similar problem (using SPSS 16.0.1 > on Win XP Pro SP2). Here is her description of what happened: > > I was working with an SPSS file in 16.0 yesterday and created around 10-15 > new variables. I have record of these variables being saved in my SPSS > journal. I saved this file in a folder. I was using this file this morning > with all of the variables I had created yesterday present. I shut down SPSS > for one of our tech-suppprt people to help me with an internet-related > problem. After he left, I tried to reopen that same file I had been working > on. It was showing up in my recently used data. I tried to open it from > there and it said it could not be found. I went to the source: my network > folder. The file was totally gone. I have opened up all other SPSS files > that I was using in case I saved over the top of it or something. It is just > gone. This has made our department concerned about possible problems with > SPSS 16.0 or with the network. > > Has anyone heard anything more about this issue? A rigorous backup-and-save > regimen will of course be helpful, but it won't solve the problem of losing > your most recent work. > > > > Steve Runfeldt wrote: > > > > I have had an odd problem intermittently over the past few months. > > Several > > times I have had SPSS sav files disappear from my system. I will be > > working > > on a project using one SAV file over the course of a couple of weeks. > > Periodically I have created new variables or made changes to the file. > > Each > > day when I shut down, SPSS asks me if I want to save the current file. If > > I > > have made changes I click on OK. This is usually just before I shut down > > SPSS and my PC for the day. Then when I start up the next morning SPSS > > cannot find that file, and neither can I. > > > > SPSS TS tried to help me with this yesterday and neither of us could find > > any trace of the file. Had I simply deleted it, it would have been in the > > Recycle Bin, but it was not. > > > > Has anyone out there had a similar problem? I am using V16.01 on a PC > > using > > XP Pro. > > > > Thanks, > > > > Steve > > > > ===================== > > To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to > > [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 > > > > > > -- > View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Disappearing-Files---Has-this-happened-to-you--tp14883929p15459609.html > Sent from the SPSSX Discussion mailing list archive at Nabble.com. > > ===================== > > To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to > [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 > ===================== To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to [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 |
Re: Disappearing Files - Has this happened to you?
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My first recommendation is to always look to the journal or log within the
output viewer if you are saving files via the File>Save command. I sometimes am just not paying attention to what the active directory is within the dialog box. -----Original Message----- From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Hal 9000 Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 9:40 AM To: [hidden email] Subject: Re: Disappearing Files - Has this happened to you? Steve, You didn't accidentally save over another .sav file with that other file's name, did you? It's not easy to do, but it happens. Try opening up all other .sav files in the place you intended to save it, and see if it contains your data (and erased the previous file's). Good luck, -Gary On Feb 13, 2008 7:40 AM, gsummers <[hidden email]> wrote: > A co-worker of mine has experienced a very similar problem (using SPSS 16.0.1 > on Win XP Pro SP2). Here is her description of what happened: > > I was working with an SPSS file in 16.0 yesterday and created around 10-15 > new variables. I have record of these variables being saved in my SPSS > journal. I saved this file in a folder. I was using this file this morning > with all of the variables I had created yesterday present. I shut down SPSS > for one of our tech-suppprt people to help me with an internet-related > problem. After he left, I tried to reopen that same file I had been working > on. It was showing up in my recently used data. I tried to open it from > there and it said it could not be found. I went to the source: my network > folder. The file was totally gone. I have opened up all other SPSS files > that I was using in case I saved over the top of it or something. It is just > gone. This has made our department concerned about possible problems with > SPSS 16.0 or with the network. > > Has anyone heard anything more about this issue? A rigorous backup-and-save > regimen will of course be helpful, but it won't solve the problem of losing > your most recent work. > > > > Steve Runfeldt wrote: > > > > I have had an odd problem intermittently over the past few months. > > Several > > times I have had SPSS sav files disappear from my system. I will be > > working > > on a project using one SAV file over the course of a couple of weeks. > > Periodically I have created new variables or made changes to the file. > > Each > > day when I shut down, SPSS asks me if I want to save the current file. > > I > > have made changes I click on OK. This is usually just before I shut down > > SPSS and my PC for the day. Then when I start up the next morning SPSS > > cannot find that file, and neither can I. > > > > SPSS TS tried to help me with this yesterday and neither of us could find > > any trace of the file. Had I simply deleted it, it would have been in the > > Recycle Bin, but it was not. > > > > Has anyone out there had a similar problem? I am using V16.01 on a PC > > using > > XP Pro. > > > > Thanks, > > > > Steve > > > > ===================== > > To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to > > [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 > > > > > > -- > View this message in context: 929p15459609.html > Sent from the SPSSX Discussion mailing list archive at Nabble.com. > > ===================== > > To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to > [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 > ===================== To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to [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 ===================== To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to [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 |
Re: Disappearing Files - Has this happened to you?
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In reply to this post by Steve Runfeldt
Gary wrote:
> Steve, > You didn't accidentally save over another .sav file with that other > file's name, did you? It's not easy to do, but it happens. Try opening > up all other .sav files in the place you intended to save it, and see > if it contains your data (and erased the previous file's). > Good luck, > -Gary Gary, Actually this was gsummers@NCAA who wrote this time, not me. But, to answer your question, "No". This was clearly not the case. When this happened to me it was at the end of the day when I had only one data file open. I saved the file and closed out SPSS. The next morning I went to open the same file and it was no longer there. Gsummers reported the same problem, but this was during the day so it could be seen more clearly. SPSS Tech Support asked me recently what virus software I was using. I was using Trend Micro's Pccillin at the time. I don't know whether this had anything to do with the problem or not. In any case, they are looking into it. My advice is to save multiple copies of every file. If you save and then save again, that should provide some insurance that the first saved file will not be lost. But this is way beyond the basic "Save your work often" rule which every novice should know and follow. Steve ===================== To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to [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 |
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I've had exactly the same problem. Saved a file last night and it's totally disappeared. I'm not a happy bunny. SPSS for mac is proving to be rather a pain.
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In reply to this post by Steve Runfeldt
That is suppose to have been fixed in the V16.0.2 update.
Will On 5/8/2008 6:56:47 AM, [hidden email] wrote: > I've had exactly the same problem. Saved a file last night and it's > totally > disappeared. I'm not a happy bunny. SPSS for mac is proving to be rather a > pain. > -- > View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Disappearing-Files---Has-this-happened-to-you--tp14883 929p17124817.html > Sent from the SPSSX Discussion mailing list archive at Nabble.com. > > ===================== > To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to > [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 ===================== To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to [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
Will
Statistical Services ============ info.statman@earthlink.net http://home.earthlink.net/~z_statman/ ============ |
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Will: That is a real problem for me. At least I am able to retrieve my syntax files via the journal file. I am running 16.0.2 martin
Martin F. Sherman, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology Director of Masters Education: Thesis Track Loyola College Psychology Department 222 B Beatty Hall 4501 North Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21210 410 617-2417 (office) 410 617-5341 (fax) [hidden email] >>> "Statman (WMB)" <[hidden email]> 5/8/2008 12:30 PM >>> That is suppose to have been fixed in the V16.0.2 update. Will On 5/8/2008 6:56:47 AM, [hidden email] wrote: > I've had exactly the same problem. Saved a file last night and it's > totally > disappeared. I'm not a happy bunny. SPSS for mac is proving to be rather a > pain. > -- > View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Disappearing-Files---Has-this-happened-to-you--tp14883 929p17124817.html > Sent from the SPSSX Discussion mailing list archive at Nabble.com. > > ===================== > To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to > [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 ===================== To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to [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 ===================== To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to [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 |
Re: Disappearing Files - Has this happened to you?
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In reply to this post by Steve Runfeldt
The problem was supposed to have been fixed in the most recent patch.
The problem is that when you exit from SPSS by clicking the "X", the program prompts you to save the file. If you click "no" you will be fine. If you click "yes" then in some cases the program ends with a deleted file. I now always use the "File/Save" option and never save on exiting - even with the new patch. Steve Runfeldt Senior Account Executive/ Quantitative Research Schwartz Consulting Partners 5027 W. Laurel Street Tampa, FL 33607 813-207-0332 X 233 (work) 813-431-1840 (mobile) [hidden email] http://schwartzconsulting.com ===================== To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to [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 |
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In reply to this post by zstatman
Many thanks. I'd no idea such an update existed. I'll let my colleagues
know to save them some pain! Kind Regards Fergus On 08/05/2008 17:30, "Statman (WMB)" <[hidden email]> wrote: > That is suppose to have been fixed in the V16.0.2 update. > > Will > > On 5/8/2008 6:56:47 AM, [hidden email] wrote: >> I've had exactly the same problem. Saved a file last night and it's >> totally >> disappeared. I'm not a happy bunny. SPSS for mac is proving to be rather > a >> pain. >> -- >> View this message in context: > http://www.nabble.com/Disappearing-Files---Has-this-happened-to-you--tp14883 > 929p17124817.html >> Sent from the SPSSX Discussion mailing list archive at Nabble.com. >> >> ===================== >> To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to >> [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 > ===================== To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to [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 |
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