SPSSX Discussion

Same Syntax, Different Results when run once vs. run in steps

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Krinsky, Alan

Same Syntax, Different Results when run once vs. run in steps

> I am getting different results when running the same syntax in
> multiple steps versus running the set of steps at once. In the first
> step I open two data files, and in the second step I use a MATCH FILES
> command to add variables from one file into the other and use a SAVE
> OUTFILE command to create a new data file. If I run the first step to
> open the files and then go back into the syntax editor and run the
> second step, I get the desired, merged data file. However, if I
> highlight both steps and click on run, then they do not merge
> successfully. I have not changed the syntax language at all in doing
> this. I took the added step of removing "EXECUTE" after the second
> step, but this made no difference. Is there any explanation for this
> difference in results using identical syntax? I thought the idea was
> to be able to combine separate steps into a single syntax file. Thank
> you for any assistance.
>
> Alan
> Worcester, MA
> E-mail: [hidden email]
>

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Richard Ristow

Re: Same Syntax, Different Results when run once vs. in steps

At 12:12 PM 3/18/2008, Krinsky, Alan wrote:

>[If] I open two data files, and in a second step use a MATCH FILES
>to add variables from one file into the other and use a SAVE OUTFILE
>command to create a new data file, [I get the desired, merged data
>file]. However, if I highlight both steps and click on run, then
>they do not merge successfully. Is there any explanation for this
>difference in results using identical syntax?

Shouldn't happen. But there's not much we can do, from this description.

Give us the SPSS version you're using.

And post your complete code. And describe, or post, the correct
result that you desire, and the incorrect result you get the second way.

For the results, do you get,
. A wrong variable list? If so, which variables you don't want, or
which variables missing that you do want?
. The wrong number of records? If so, describe what records seem to
be added or duplicated, or what ones lost.
. The wrong values for certain variables? If so, what variables,
what's the right value, what value do you get?

If at all possible, give us short test-data files that show the problem.

-Good luck,
Richard

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