Version 15 annoyances (bugs)

[Dennis Deck]

I have been waiting for v16, but until it comes thought it might be good to mention a couple v15 annoyances.

DROPPED DATA FILE

I have been using v15's ability to keep multiple files open when running complex, multi-step jobs.  Unfortunately, i have had frequent problems with SPSS dropping (closing) the current file once the job ends.  This means trouble if i want to run part of the job, inspect the output, and then try run another section, or if i want to correct a mistake and rerun. When i run the same job with no other data files open,  I do not have a problem.  

Note that i make it a point to never write over the original files so i can easily recover and rerun, however this is an annoyance.  


FATAL ERRORS

There have also been frequent fatal errors with v15.  
Unfortunately I do not see a clear pattern about when this error occurs.  
After restarting SPSS, the job runs fine.  


I trust v16 will be more stable!


Dennis Deck, PhD
RMC Research Corporation
111 SW Columbia Street, Suite 1200
Portland, Oregon 97201-5843
voice: 503-223-8248 x715
voice: 800-788-1887 x715
fax:  [phone]
[hidden email]

====================To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to
[hidden email] (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the
command. To leave the list, send the command
SIGNOFF SPSSX-L
For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command
INFO REFCARD

[Mark A Davenport MADAVENP]

Dennis,

I suspect you are going to find several folks who have the same problem,
several who don't, and several with other problems.   I suspect that what
you are seeing is not so much a bug as an inevitable case of
software,/driver conflicts, etc.  I have few problems with 15 compared to
past versions such as 11.  I seldom get fatal errors or dropped with 15. I
get a few fatal errors with most of my software (except for Microsoft
products...I wonder why?)  But it happens more often on my laptop at home.
 I attribute this to idiocyncracies in my home set up, not a bug in SPSS.
Yes, we pay several thousands of dollars, the stuff should work
seamlessly.  However, I give you that I have found very few products that
work flawlessly on Windows but Microsoft products.

The obvious question at this point is about your set-up.  Are you using XP
or Vista...are you on a netwrok, etc.

For what it's worth...

Mark

***************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Mark A. Davenport Ph.D.
Senior Research Analyst
Office of Institutional Research
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
336.256.0395
[hidden email]

'An approximate answer to the right question is worth a good deal more
than an exact answer to an approximate question.' --a paraphrase of J. W.
Tukey (1962)






Dennis Deck <[hidden email]>
Sent by: "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <[hidden email]>
11/08/2007 04:00 PM
Please respond to
Dennis Deck <[hidden email]>


To
[hidden email]
cc

Subject
Version 15 annoyances (bugs)






I have been waiting for v16, but until it comes thought it might be good
to mention a couple v15 annoyances.

DROPPED DATA FILE

I have been using v15's ability to keep multiple files open when running
complex, multi-step jobs.  Unfortunately, i have had frequent problems
with SPSS dropping (closing) the current file once the job ends.  This
means trouble if i want to run part of the job, inspect the output, and
then try run another section, or if i want to correct a mistake and rerun.
When i run the same job with no other data files open,  I do not have a
problem.

Note that i make it a point to never write over the original files so i
can easily recover and rerun, however this is an annoyance.


FATAL ERRORS

There have also been frequent fatal errors with v15.
Unfortunately I do not see a clear pattern about when this error occurs.
After restarting SPSS, the job runs fine.


I trust v16 will be more stable!


Dennis Deck, PhD
RMC Research Corporation
111 SW Columbia Street, Suite 1200
Portland, Oregon 97201-5843
voice: 503-223-8248 x715
voice: 800-788-1887 x715
fax:  [phone]
[hidden email]

====================To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message
to
[hidden email] (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the
command. To leave the list, send the command
SIGNOFF SPSSX-L
For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command
INFO REFCARD

=====================
To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to
[hidden email] (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the
command. To leave the list, send the command
SIGNOFF SPSSX-L
For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command
INFO REFCARD

[Oliver, Richard]

Having multiple datasets open at the same time requires that each dataset (except the active one) be a NAMED dataset. If you use command syntax to open data sources, they are not named by default -- and once and unnamed dataset is no longer the active dataset, it basically ceases to exist. To open multiple data sources via command syntax and keep more than one open at the same time, you need to use the DATASET NAME command to explicitly name each dataset.

Example:

data list free /x.
begin data
1 2 3
end data.
dataset name one.
data list free /y.
begin data
4 5 6
end data.

At this point you have two datasets -- but the active dataset is unnamed. If you now click on the Data Editor for the named dataset (one) and run a statistical procedure, the named dataset (one) becomes the active dataset and the unnamed dataset is automatically closed. The solution is to give it name, as in:

dataset name two.

If you open data sources via the dialogs, a DATASET NAME command is always generated to name the dataset.



-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Dennis Deck
Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2007 2:47 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Version 15 annoyances (bugs)

I have been waiting for v16, but until it comes thought it might be good to mention a couple v15 annoyances.

DROPPED DATA FILE

I have been using v15's ability to keep multiple files open when running complex, multi-step jobs.  Unfortunately, i have had frequent problems with SPSS dropping (closing) the current file once the job ends.  This means trouble if i want to run part of the job, inspect the output, and then try run another section, or if i want to correct a mistake and rerun. When i run the same job with no other data files open,  I do not have a problem.

Note that i make it a point to never write over the original files so i can easily recover and rerun, however this is an annoyance.


FATAL ERRORS

There have also been frequent fatal errors with v15.
Unfortunately I do not see a clear pattern about when this error occurs.
After restarting SPSS, the job runs fine.


I trust v16 will be more stable!


Dennis Deck, PhD
RMC Research Corporation
111 SW Columbia Street, Suite 1200
Portland, Oregon 97201-5843
voice: 503-223-8248 x715
voice: 800-788-1887 x715
fax:  [phone]
[hidden email]

=======
To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to
[hidden email] (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the
command. To leave the list, send the command
SIGNOFF SPSSX-L
For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command
INFO REFCARD

=====================
To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to
[hidden email] (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the
command. To leave the list, send the command
SIGNOFF SPSSX-L
For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command
INFO REFCARD