Updated python 2.7 to 3.4, program now returns warning 6894

[Michael Morris]

I installed python 2.7 last week and was able to get programs running directly SPSS syntax.

Today I uninstalled 2.7, and installed python 3.4 as part of the anaconda 3 package (available here: http://continuum.io/downloads#py34). I verified that python 3.4 is working - different programs run in apatana studio 3 and I can access python 3.4 via the command line (I'm on windows, SPSS version 21).

Going back to SPSS after the python 3.4 install, though, my programs in SPSS will not run, and give me this:

warning # 6894. Command name: begin program
the external program exit unexpectedly and lost its content, a new external program will startup to execute the rest of the job.

And then nothing happens. Google searches don't seem to return anything useful, any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

[J. Salford]

You need to reinstall 2.7.  AFAIK 3.4 doesn't work with SPSS.

[Michael Morris]

Thanks, J Salford, much appreciated.

So I've uninstalled anaconda/python 3.4, and reinstalled 2.7.6. I've verified that I can get to it on the command line, and it runs programs through apatana studio. But I now cannot run the python programs that I previously ran in SPSS.

For example:

begin program.
import spss
print "hello world"
 
end program.
 
>Warning # 6894.  Command name: begin program
>The external program exit unexpectedly and lost its content, a new external
>program will startup to execute the rest of job.

[Michael Morris]

"Solved" it - I reinstalled python essentials from IBM's terrible website, which included python 2.6.1. Things are now running again.

Thanks again for the help.

Mike

[JosephYoungblood]

Michael,

If you have a need for both versions of Python, you can install both, just be clear to specify which programs (SPSS) you want to run with each version.  I have Python 2.7 installed in the SPSS directory, and a newer version on C:\

Good luck.

IMHO IBM does a pretty good job with SPSS and updates etc, but the SPSS related UI needs improvement, you need to know where to go to find what you need and don't know...a bit bass ackwards.  Would be nice if they would create a satellite site.

Joseph A. Youngblood
Youngblood Consultants

[Michael Morris]

Thanks, Joseph.

Also I made a typo in my last post, the essential for python download included version 2.7.1, not version 2.6.1.

Mike