SPSS 15 Upgrade: Multiple Data Files Problem

[Trudy Walter]

Hi,

We recently just upgraded to SPSS 15. Everytime we run a portion of syntax
it seems to open a new data file. Is there a function that can be changed to
keep it in one data file or how do we know which one is the current data
file? Why doesn't it save your changes in the most current data file?

Trudy Walter
Market Research Analyst
WorldatWork*
14040 N. Northsight Blvd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Direct: 480-348-7260
Email: [hidden email]

> WorldatWork®
> The Total Rewards Association(tm)
>
> UPCOMING CONFERENCES:
>
> Work-Life Conference & Exhibition
> Presented by Alliance for Work-Life Progress and WorldatWork
> Feb. 21-23, 2007 - Phoenix, AZ
>
> WorldatWork Total Rewards Conference & Exhibition
> May 6-9, 2007 - Orlando, FL
>
>

[Weeks, Kyle]

Trudy, you can you the DATSAET command to control the activation and closing of multiple datasets.

Below is an overview from the Help system of the DATASET command.

Overview (DATASET CLOSE command)
DATASET CLOSE (command),DATASET CLOSE (command),DATASET CLOSE (command)
The DATASET commands (DATASET NAME, DATASET ACTIVATE, DATASET DECLARE, DATASET COPY, DATASET CLOSE) provide the ability to have multiple data sources open at the same time and control which open data source is active at any point in the session. Using defined dataset names, you can then:

Merge data (for example, MATCH FILES, ADD FILES, UPDATE) from multiple different source types (for example, text data, database, spreadsheet) without saving each one as an SPSS data file first.
Create new datasets that are subsets of open data sources (for example, males in one subset, females in another, people under a certain age in another; or original data in one set and transformed/computed values in another subset).

Copy and paste variables, cases, and/or variable properties between two or more open data sources in the Data Editor.
The DATASET CLOSE command closes the named dataset.

If the dataset name specified is not the active dataset, that dataset is closed and no longer available in the session.
If the dataset name specified is the active dataset or if an asterisk (*) is specified and the active dataset has a name, the association with that name is broken. The active dataset remains active but has no name.
If ALL is specified, all associations with datasets are broken. All the datasets except the active dataset and their data windows are closed and no longer available in the session. The active dataset remains active but has no name.
Basic Specification
The only specification for DATASET CLOSE is the command name followed by a dataset name, an asterisk (*), or the keyword ALL.

For those of you not familiar with the new features in SPSS 15, you can see the entire list of new features at http://www.spss.com/pdfs/S15CMPlr.pdf

Regards.


Kyle Weeks, Ph.D.
Director of Product Management, SPSS Product Line
Product Management
SPSS Inc.
[hidden email]
www.spss.com
SPSS Inc. helps organizations turn data into insight through predictive analytics.


-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Trudy Walter
Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 5:48 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: SPSS 15 Upgrade: Multiple Data Files Problem

Hi,

We recently just upgraded to SPSS 15. Everytime we run a portion of syntax
it seems to open a new data file. Is there a function that can be changed to
keep it in one data file or how do we know which one is the current data
file? Why doesn't it save your changes in the most current data file?

Trudy Walter
Market Research Analyst
WorldatWork*
14040 N. Northsight Blvd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Direct: 480-348-7260
Email: [hidden email]

> WorldatWork(r)
> The Total Rewards Association(tm)
>
> UPCOMING CONFERENCES:
>
> Work-Life Conference & Exhibition
> Presented by Alliance for Work-Life Progress and WorldatWork
> Feb. 21-23, 2007 - Phoenix, AZ
>
> WorldatWork Total Rewards Conference & Exhibition
> May 6-9, 2007 - Orlando, FL
>
>

[Peck, Jon]

One thing to add to Kyle's note.  If you are using the dialogs to open files, DATASET commands are generated automatically, so opening a new one does not automatically close the previous one.  When you use syntax without DATASET commands it works just as before.

-Jon Peck


-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion on behalf of Weeks, Kyle
Sent: Wed 12/20/2006 1:44 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject:      Re: [SPSSX-L] SPSS 15 Upgrade: Multiple Data Files Problem
 
Trudy, you can you the DATSAET command to control the activation and closing of multiple datasets.

Below is an overview from the Help system of the DATASET command.

Overview (DATASET CLOSE command)
DATASET CLOSE (command),DATASET CLOSE (command),DATASET CLOSE (command)
The DATASET commands (DATASET NAME, DATASET ACTIVATE, DATASET DECLARE, DATASET COPY, DATASET CLOSE) provide the ability to have multiple data sources open at the same time and control which open data source is active at any point in the session. Using defined dataset names, you can then:

Merge data (for example, MATCH FILES, ADD FILES, UPDATE) from multiple different source types (for example, text data, database, spreadsheet) without saving each one as an SPSS data file first.
Create new datasets that are subsets of open data sources (for example, males in one subset, females in another, people under a certain age in another; or original data in one set and transformed/computed values in another subset).

Copy and paste variables, cases, and/or variable properties between two or more open data sources in the Data Editor.
The DATASET CLOSE command closes the named dataset.

If the dataset name specified is not the active dataset, that dataset is closed and no longer available in the session.
If the dataset name specified is the active dataset or if an asterisk (*) is specified and the active dataset has a name, the association with that name is broken. The active dataset remains active but has no name.
If ALL is specified, all associations with datasets are broken. All the datasets except the active dataset and their data windows are closed and no longer available in the session. The active dataset remains active but has no name.
Basic Specification
The only specification for DATASET CLOSE is the command name followed by a dataset name, an asterisk (*), or the keyword ALL.

For those of you not familiar with the new features in SPSS 15, you can see the entire list of new features at http://www.spss.com/pdfs/S15CMPlr.pdf

Regards.


Kyle Weeks, Ph.D.
Director of Product Management, SPSS Product Line
Product Management
SPSS Inc.
[hidden email]
www.spss.com
SPSS Inc. helps organizations turn data into insight through predictive analytics.


-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Trudy Walter
Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 5:48 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: SPSS 15 Upgrade: Multiple Data Files Problem

Hi,

We recently just upgraded to SPSS 15. Everytime we run a portion of syntax
it seems to open a new data file. Is there a function that can be changed to
keep it in one data file or how do we know which one is the current data
file? Why doesn't it save your changes in the most current data file?

Trudy Walter
Market Research Analyst
WorldatWork*
14040 N. Northsight Blvd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Direct: 480-348-7260
Email: [hidden email]

> WorldatWork(r)
> The Total Rewards Association(tm)
>
> UPCOMING CONFERENCES:
>
> Work-Life Conference & Exhibition
> Presented by Alliance for Work-Life Progress and WorldatWork
> Feb. 21-23, 2007 - Phoenix, AZ
>
> WorldatWork Total Rewards Conference & Exhibition
> May 6-9, 2007 - Orlando, FL
>
>