Walking before I can run (importing data into SPSS 15)

[Mark Palmberg-2]

I'm trying to use SPSS 15 to do some basic analysis of some 185
variables over 550K records.  The variables are contained in four
different files pulled from an IBM db2 database, which exist now as
Access tables.  When I attempt to connect to the Access database using
the wizard in SPSS, it's only bringing in ~1,500 records of the total
~550K.  Thoughts?
 
Thanks!

[ariel barak]

Mark,

The text below the message is from the spss website:

http://www.spss.com/vertical_markets/education/SPSS_student_versions.htm

It appears from your issue that you have the student version. Do all of the
variables come through? The website says that only 50 variables are
supported. If only 50 variables come through, I think that you've found your
problem.

Hope that helps,
-Ari


"SPSS Student Version

SPSS Student Version is ideal for students who are just beginning to learn
statistics. The SPSS Student Version provides affordable, professional
statistical analysis and modeling tools to students. The easy-to-use
interface and comprehensive online help system enable students to learn
statistics, not software. The SPSS Student Version has a four-year license
code and is for student home use only. It allows up to 50 variables and
1,500 cases. This software is unable to read SPSS command syntax, and
scripting and automation capabilities are unavailable. Add-on modules cannot
be used with this package."


On 6/13/07, Mark Palmberg <[hidden email]> wrote:

>
> I'm trying to use SPSS 15 to do some basic analysis of some 185
> variables over 550K records.  The variables are contained in four
> different files pulled from an IBM db2 database, which exist now as
> Access tables.  When I attempt to connect to the Access database using
> the wizard in SPSS, it's only bringing in ~1,500 records of the total
> ~550K.  Thoughts?
>
> Thanks!
>

[Mark Palmberg-2]

Nope, it's not the student version.  All 189 variables are there, but
I'm getting only 1,537 records.

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of
Ariel Barak
Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2007 3:59 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: Walking before I can run (importing data into SPSS 15)

Mark,

The text below the message is from the spss website:

http://www.spss.com/vertical_markets/education/SPSS_student_versions.htm

It appears from your issue that you have the student version. Do all of
the variables come through? The website says that only 50 variables are
supported. If only 50 variables come through, I think that you've found
your problem.

Hope that helps,
-Ari


"SPSS Student Version

SPSS Student Version is ideal for students who are just beginning to
learn statistics. The SPSS Student Version provides affordable,
professional statistical analysis and modeling tools to students. The
easy-to-use interface and comprehensive online help system enable
students to learn statistics, not software. The SPSS Student Version has
a four-year license code and is for student home use only. It allows up
to 50 variables and 1,500 cases. This software is unable to read SPSS
command syntax, and scripting and automation capabilities are
unavailable. Add-on modules cannot be used with this package."


On 6/13/07, Mark Palmberg <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> I'm trying to use SPSS 15 to do some basic analysis of some 185
> variables over 550K records.  The variables are contained in four
> different files pulled from an IBM db2 database, which exist now as
> Access tables.  When I attempt to connect to the Access database using

> the wizard in SPSS, it's only bringing in ~1,500 records of the total
> ~550K.  Thoughts?
>
> Thanks!
>

[Marta García-Granero]

Hi

Wednesday, June 13, 2007, 10:06:38 PM, You wrote:

MP> I'm trying to use SPSS 15 to do some basic analysis of some 185
MP> variables over 550K records.  The variables are contained in four
MP> different files pulled from an IBM db2 database, which exist now as
MP> Access tables.  When I attempt to connect to the Access database using
MP> the wizard in SPSS, it's only bringing in ~1,500 records of the total
MP> ~550K.  Thoughts?

I had that same problem last year, and I got some good advice from the
list. Basically: try the same query in Excel (DATA - GET EXTERNAL
DATA...), if the problem still happens, then the Access database is
causing the data loss. Try to open it with Access and see if you can
repair it (I'm no expert in that). It looks like Access is quite
liable to problems when exporting data (last week a friend of mine
reported a similar problem when running queries with his database).

Last year, I finally had to copy manually the tables from Access to
Excel sheets, turn some numerical data shown as text to numeric, and
then run ODBC to import them to SPSS.

As a matter of fact, right now, during a second analysis of that same
database (updated with new records), I've found the same problem in
some tables, and I'm again doing the "copy in access-paste in excel"
routine again.

--
Regards,
Dr. Marta García-Granero,PhD           mailto:[hidden email]
Statistician

---
"It is unwise to use a statistical procedure whose use one does
not understand. SPSS syntax guide cannot supply this knowledge, and it
is certainly no substitute for the basic understanding of statistics
and statistical thinking that is essential for the wise choice of
methods and the correct interpretation of their results".

(Adapted from WinPepi manual - I'm sure Joe Abrahmson will not mind)