Syntax error: weird propagation effect

[Richard Ristow]

This struck me as odd. This is SPSS draft output, release 14.0.2.
- The initial run failed because of a missing slash ('/') in the DATA
LIST command
- There were then many, many error messages by propagation of errors:
DATA LIST had failed, so there was no active file, so neither
transformation commands nor procedures were allowed. I've deleted most
of those, up to the final LIST in the run.
- I fixed the DATA LIST and reran. The whole run worked. However,
ODDITY: The DATA LIST, as corrected and run, elicited the message

 >Error # 541
 >A procedure command has appeared before a file has been defined.

DATA LIST isn't a procedure, of course. Besides, despite the error
message ending

 >This command not executed.

it apparently ran correctly; the working file contained the correct
data.

?????
.....................
DATA LIST FIXED FullName 01-25 (A).

 >Error # 4100 in column 17.  Text: FullName
 >Unrecognized text appears on the DATA LIST command in the file
 >specification section.  This text will be ignored.
 >This command not executed.

BEGIN DATA

 >Error # 4096.  Command name: BEGIN DATA
 >No permanent dictionary has been defined.  There are no variables
defined
 >in the above transformations that a procedure may access.
 >This command not executed.

Rcvdget, SYbsre
Pemmdtg, Adrte
Mkhkjhiu, Koopjoih
END DATA.
* .....  Post after this point  ..... .
LIST.

 >Error # 4096.  Command name: LIST
 >No permanent dictionary has been defined.  There are no variables
defined
 >in the above transformations that a procedure may access.
 >This command not executed.

[Transformation commands and error messages omitted]

LIST.

 >Error # 111.  Command name: LIST
 >A procedure command has appeared before a file has been defined.  The
run
 >needs a DATA LIST, GET, END FILE, MATRIX DATA, or some other command
which
 >defines cases or a matrix.
 >This command not executed.

[Second run begins after this point]

*  C:\Documents and Settings\Richard\My
Documents                      .
*    \Technical\spssx-l\Z-2006c
.
*    \2006-09-25 Raffe - splitting first and last name in one
field.SPS.


*  In response to posting
*  Date:         Mon, 25 Sep 2006 17:34:09 -0700
*  From: "Raffe, Sydelle, SSA" <[hidden email]>
*  Subject:      Re: splitting first and last name in one field .
*  To: [hidden email]                                 .

*  (This is a follow-up to the original post in the thread)     .

*  Split name into first name, last name:                       .
DATA LIST FIXED

 >Error # 541
 >A procedure command has appeared before a file has been defined.  The
run
 >needs a DATA LIST, GET, END FILE, MATRIX DATA, or some other command
which
 >defines cases or a matrix.
 >This command not executed.

    /FullName 01-25 (A).

Data List will read 1 records from the command file

Variable          Rec   Start     End  Format

FullName            1       1      25  A25
[etc.]

[Barnett, Adrian (HEALTH)]

Hi Richard

I'm taking a real stab in the dark here, but I have in the past got very
confusing error messages when SPSS ran into non-printing control
characters in a syntax file containing elements pasted from a web page.
It's possible you got some if you pasted some of your code from the text
of the email.

A hex editor will show them up, or if you don't have one, they often
show up in MS Word, depending on what font you use.

As  I say, a wild guess, but it may be worth checking for.

Regards


Adrian

--
Adrian Barnett
Research & Information Officer
Research, Analysis and Evaluation
Strategic Planning and Research Branch
Strategic Planning and Population Health Division
Department of Health
God is good but don't dance in a currach. - Irish proverb



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-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of
Richard Ristow
Sent: Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:47
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Syntax error: weird propagation effect

This struck me as odd. This is SPSS draft output, release 14.0.2.
- The initial run failed because of a missing slash ('/') in the DATA
LIST command
- There were then many, many error messages by propagation of errors:
DATA LIST had failed, so there was no active file, so neither
transformation commands nor procedures were allowed. I've deleted most
of those, up to the final LIST in the run.
- I fixed the DATA LIST and reran. The whole run worked. However,
ODDITY: The DATA LIST, as corrected and run, elicited the message

 >Error # 541
 >A procedure command has appeared before a file has been defined.

DATA LIST isn't a procedure, of course. Besides, despite the error
message ending

 >This command not executed.

it apparently ran correctly; the working file contained the correct
data.

?????
.....................
DATA LIST FIXED FullName 01-25 (A).

 >Error # 4100 in column 17.  Text: FullName  >Unrecognized text appears
on the DATA LIST command in the file  >specification section.  This text
will be ignored.
 >This command not executed.

BEGIN DATA

 >Error # 4096.  Command name: BEGIN DATA  >No permanent dictionary has
been defined.  There are no variables defined  >in the above
transformations that a procedure may access.
 >This command not executed.

Rcvdget, SYbsre
Pemmdtg, Adrte
Mkhkjhiu, Koopjoih
END DATA.
* .....  Post after this point  ..... .
LIST.

 >Error # 4096.  Command name: LIST
 >No permanent dictionary has been defined.  There are no variables
defined  >in the above transformations that a procedure may access.
 >This command not executed.

[Transformation commands and error messages omitted]

LIST.

 >Error # 111.  Command name: LIST
 >A procedure command has appeared before a file has been defined.  The
run  >needs a DATA LIST, GET, END FILE, MATRIX DATA, or some other
command which  >defines cases or a matrix.
 >This command not executed.

[Second run begins after this point]

*  C:\Documents and Settings\Richard\My
Documents                      .
*    \Technical\spssx-l\Z-2006c
.
*    \2006-09-25 Raffe - splitting first and last name in one
field.SPS.


*  In response to posting
*  Date:         Mon, 25 Sep 2006 17:34:09 -0700
*  From: "Raffe, Sydelle, SSA" <[hidden email]>
*  Subject:      Re: splitting first and last name in one field .
*  To: [hidden email]                                 .

*  (This is a follow-up to the original post in the thread)     .

*  Split name into first name, last name:                       .
DATA LIST FIXED

 >Error # 541
 >A procedure command has appeared before a file has been defined.  The
run  >needs a DATA LIST, GET, END FILE, MATRIX DATA, or some other
command which  >defines cases or a matrix.
 >This command not executed.

    /FullName 01-25 (A).

Data List will read 1 records from the command file

Variable          Rec   Start     End  Format

FullName            1       1      25  A25
[etc.]