Get File

[Jignesh Sutar]

Hello,

How does one use SPSS syntax to open up a new dataset but leaving the active
dataset open?

If I use 'GET FILE' command, the new dataset opens but automatically closing
the original active dataset.

Would be handy if there was a command for this.

Thanks in advance
Jignesh

[Marta García-Granero]

Hi Jignesh

Monday, November 27, 2006, 2:17:37 PM, You wrote:

JS> How does one use SPSS syntax to open up a new dataset but leaving the active
JS> dataset open?

Are you using SPSS 14/15? If not, then the answer is "it can't be
done". The capability of handling multiple datasets simultaneously was
added starting with SPSS 14, but it didn't exist before that version.

JS> If I use 'GET FILE' command, the new dataset opens but automatically closing
JS> the original active dataset.

JS> Would be handy if there was a command for this.


--
Regards,
Dr. Marta García-Granero,PhD           mailto:[hidden email]
Statistician

[Melissa Ives]

What version of SPSS are you using?
SPSS 14 and beyond have all been able to do this.  I think it works best
if you open the file and then name it using 'DATASET NAME'.  There was a
problem in 14 where sometimes opening a second dataset would close the
first, but I believe that was NOT when using syntax solely to open a new
dataset.

Beginning in (I believe) 12 and 13 you could open a second (or third)
instance of SPSS so that you could be using it in several separate
datasets, but in separate 'SPSS sessions'.

Melissa

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of
J Sutar
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2006 7:18 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [SPSSX-L] Get File

Hello,

How does one use SPSS syntax to open up a new dataset but leaving the
active dataset open?

If I use 'GET FILE' command, the new dataset opens but automatically
closing the original active dataset.

Would be handy if there was a command for this.

Thanks in advance
Jignesh



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[Richard Ristow]

At 08:17 AM 11/27/2006, J Sutar wrote:

>How does one use SPSS syntax to open up a new dataset but leaving the
>active
>dataset open?
>
>If I use 'GET FILE' command, the new dataset opens but automatically
>closing
>the original active dataset.

Use DATASET NAME to name the active dataset, before issuing GET FILE to
open the new one.
............
To amplify - at 01:58 PM 11/27/2006, Melissa Ives responded:

>SPSS 14 and beyond [i.e., 15] have all been able to do this. [No
>earlier versions can.] I think it works best if you open the file and
>then name it using 'DATASET NAME'.

Precisely, name the >active< dataset (using DATASET NAME) before
getting the new dataset. To quote myself(1):

>The new term for what was the 'working file' is the 'active dataset.'
>The active dataset may, but need not, have a dataset name.
>
>There may also be 'inactive datasets'. All inactive datasets must have
>names; inactivating an unnamed dataset, loses it.
>[...]
>Commands that used to create a new working file, now create a new
>dataset, which is active but unnamed. If the previously active dataset
>is not named, it is lost. If it is named, it remains open with that
>name, but is no longer active.
>
>Commands that create a new working file are,
>.  NEW FILE.
>.  DATA LIST.
>.  GET {FILE,DATA,TRANSLATE,CAPTURE,SAS,STATA,...}
>.  ADD FILES,   with no "/FILE=*"
>.  MATCH FILES, with no "/FILE=*".

-----------------------
(1) quoted from posting
Date:         Tue, 18 Jul 2006 15:48:58 -0400
From: Richard Ristow <[hidden email]>
Subject:      Using datasets in SPSS 14
To: [hidden email]