+ at beginning of syntax line
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Hi,
I don't know who to direct this to but I was mystified by the '+' sign at the beginning of the line for certain syntax (loops, do if etc) and I'd like to suggest that the purpose be added to the Command Syntax Reference Guide. I searched the Guide several times (very tedious because there are many, many + signs in the document) and gave up after awhile. I searched the internet a number of times and found only examples but no explanations. I asked my husband who knows a dozen computer languages and he didn't know the purpose. I finally did a slightly different search and found the answer in an online tutorial at http://www.stat-help.com/spss.pdf. Thanks for all the help provided on this site! It's been immensely valuable. Jan ===================== 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 |
Re: + at beginning of syntax line
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This is covered in the Command Syntax Reference manual. The following is from p. 37 in the v18 manual. --- start of excerpt from CSR manual --- Batch (Production) Mode The following rules apply to command specifications in batch mode: * All commands in the command file must begin in column 1. You can use plus (+) or minus (–) signs in the first column if you want to indent the command specification to make the command file more readable. * If multiple lines are used for a command, column 1 of each continuation line must be blank. * Command terminators are optional. * A line cannot exceed 256 bytes; any additional characters are truncated. The following is a sample command file that will run in either interactive or batch mode: GET FILE=/MYFILES/BANK.SAV' /KEEP ID TIME SEX JOBCAT SALBEG SALNOW /RENAME SALNOW = SAL90. DO IF TIME LT 82. + COMPUTE RATE=0.05. ELSE. + COMPUTE RATE=0.04. END IF. COMPUTE SALNOW=(1+RATE)*SAL90. EXAMINE VARIABLES=SALNOW BY SEX. --- end of excerpt from CSR manual --- HTH.
--
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Re: + at beginning of syntax line
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In reply to this post by J McClure
Jan
If you worked with syntax from the beginning, and
didn't try to run before you can even crawl, you would have picked up already
that the + indicates a continuation line.
Like I said, "More haste, less speed."
John
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Re: + at beginning of syntax line
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John
I think you were unreasonably tough with your comment
to Jan who not only answered the question for themself but found a reference and
posted it for the benefit of the rest of us
Warm regards/gary
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I would also like to point out that batch-style syntax is never necessary in any reasonably recent version of SPSS. Although the INCLUDE command requires it, INCLUDE is obsolete, superseded by INSERT in version 13. Syntax pasted by the dialogs always complies with the interactive rules (and is an excellent way to start learning syntax). Batch rules are just a legacy still supported for compatibility. Regards, Jon Peck SPSS, an IBM Company [hidden email] 312-651-3435
John I think you were unreasonably tough with your comment to Jan who not only answered the question for themself but found a reference and posted it for the benefit of the rest of us Warm regards/gary From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [[hidden email]] On Behalf Of John F Hall Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 2010 4:42 AM To: [hidden email] Subject: Re: + at beginning of syntax line Jan If you worked with syntax from the beginning, and didn't try to run before you can even crawl, you would have picked up already that the + indicates a continuation line. Like I said, "More haste, less speed." John ----- Original Message ----- From: J McClure To: [hidden email] Sent: Monday, September 06, 2010 7:26 PM Subject: + at beginning of syntax line Hi, I don't know who to direct this to but I was mystified by the '+' sign at the beginning of the line for certain syntax (loops, do if etc) and I'd like to suggest that the purpose be added to the Command Syntax Reference Guide. I searched the Guide several times (very tedious because there are many, many + signs in the document) and gave up after awhile. I searched the internet a number of times and found only examples but no explanations. I asked my husband who knows a dozen computer languages and he didn't know the purpose. I finally did a slightly different search and found the answer in an online tutorial at http://www.stat-help.com/spss.pdf. Thanks for all the help provided on this site! It's been immensely valuable. Jan ===================== To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to LISTSERV@... (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 |
Re: + at beginning of syntax line
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In reply to this post by Gary Oliver-3
I must concur with Gary.
Steve www.StatisticsDoc.com From: Gary Oliver <[hidden email]>
Sender: "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <[hidden email]>
Date: Tue, 7 Sep 2010 08:43:46 +1000 To: <[hidden email]> ReplyTo: Gary Oliver <[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: + at beginning of syntax line John
I think you were unreasonably tough with your comment
to Jan who not only answered the question for themself but found a reference and
posted it for the benefit of the rest of us
Warm regards/gary
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In reply to this post by Jon K Peck
Thanks for the info Jon, you are a fount of knowledge. (I hope your
bosses appreciate you!)
I assumed that because the '+' was in the Command Guide examples in multiple places that it was necessary but when I removed the '+' signs the syntax ran just fine. I've used paste to see the syntax but hadn't thought of using it in this way. Jan On 9/7/2010 6:56 AM, Jon K Peck wrote: ===================== 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 |
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