SPSS Statistics 17 Extension Commands

[Peck, Jon]

Extension commands are a new feature, begun in SPSS 16 and enhanced in SPSS Statistics 17.  The extension mechanism allows anyone to design new syntax and provide their own implementation using Python or R programmability.  Once installed, extension commands are automatically available in the SPSS Statistics session just as if they were built in.  Version 17 adds the Custom Dialog Builder, which allows anyone to create a dialog box interface for an extension command or for standard commands without doing any programming.

 

The extension mechanism and the Custom Dialog Builder make it easy for program authors to create programs for users of traditional syntax or point-and-click fans.

 

Among the improvements to extension commands in 17 is the ability for the command name to have up to three parts.  In order to minimize name collisions, we recommend that authors use their organization name or some similar identifier as the first word of the name.  Ours will start with SPSSINC.

 

We have written a number of new extension commands, most with dialog boxes, that will be available for Version 17.  I will be sending a few notes about these over the next week or two.

 

These packages can be downloaded from SPSS Developer Central (www.spss.com/devcentral).  As usual, these are provided as is under the terms of the standard SPSS Freeware License that you see when you download something.  Of course, the Developer Central forums are available for discussions about these.  As with other downloads, you have access to the source code.  And they are free.

 

Here’s the first: SPSSINC MODIFY TABLES.

 

This command goes beyond TableLooks and takes the pain out of doing custom formatting of pivot tables.  It can control column width, font style and color, and background colors at the level of individual rows or columns and even individual cells (not the widths!).  You can include expressions such as

x < .05

to apply formatting dynamically to cells meeting the criterion.  Data cells and labels can be controlled separately.

 

This can be very useful for things like highlighting totals or unusual values or calling out particular rows or columns in a table.  There is even a green stripe feature for those nostalgic for the days of line printers (well, actually it’s blue stripes, but that’s easy to change).          

 

The package includes a dialog box interface that appears on the Utilities menu after installation.

 

This command requires the Python plug-in (and SPSS Statistics 17), but no Python knowledge is required in order to use it.  However, if you know a bit of Python, you can replace complex script-based formatting with small plug-in functions that go beyond what is build into this command by using its custom function facility.

 

Regards,

 

Jon K. Peck

SPSS Inc.

[hidden email]

(ip) phone [phone]

 

 

 

Jon K. Peck

SPSS Inc.

[hidden email]

(ip) phone [phone]