more virtues of using syntax: getting and giving remote help

[Art Kendall]

  Using syntax makes it a lot easier to get help from others and for
other to give help.

Sending syntax (and error messages) makes it possible for others on the
list to know what you are trying to do and make good guesses about what
the problem is.

Also helpers can be explicit about what they are suggesting and can
often even test the concepts they are suggesting.

Many people who would help  have a single monitor.  Putting instructions
for using the GUI in an email is a very error prone process. They have
to remember exactly which choices they made in the GUI. Steps become so
"obvious" that it is easy to omit some. There are not many conventions
for instructing how to go through the menus. About the only ones I am
are aware of are:  angle brackets to indicate what to click or choose
from a menu,  and "type" to specify what to enter in edit boxes.

Many people who help do use the GUI to write first drafts but when they
are satisfied they exit via paste. The syntax pasted  into the syntax
window can then be copied into email and pasted into the requester's
syntax window.  Whereas when an email is a long series of click <this>
and type "that" the requester has to go back and forth from the email to
the GUI to do what is suggested, another error prone process.


Art Kendall
Social Research Consultants

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[John F Hall]

I only ever use syntax in preference to GUI. 

 

Reasons for this will soon become clear if you check out the syntax-based SPSS tutorials on my site.

 

John Hall
[hidden email]
http://surveyresearch.weebly.com

----- Original Message -----

From: [hidden email]

To: [hidden email]

Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 2010 1:16 PM

Subject: more virtues of using syntax: getting and giving remote help

  Using syntax makes it a lot easier to get help from others and for
other to give help.

Sending syntax (and error messages) makes it possible for others on the
list to know what you are trying to do and make good guesses about what
the problem is.

Also helpers can be explicit about what they are suggesting and can
often even test the concepts they are suggesting.

Many people who would help  have a single monitor.  Putting instructions
for using the GUI in an email is a very error prone process. They have
to remember exactly which choices they made in the GUI. Steps become so
"obvious" that it is easy to omit some. There are not many conventions
for instructing how to go through the menus. About the only ones I am
are aware of are:  angle brackets to indicate what to click or choose
from a menu,  and "type" to specify what to enter in edit boxes.

Many people who help do use the GUI to write first drafts but when they
are satisfied they exit via paste. The syntax pasted  into the syntax
window can then be copied into email and pasted into the requester's
syntax window.  Whereas when an email is a long series of click <this>
and type "that" the requester has to go back and forth from the email to
the GUI to do what is suggested, another error prone process.


Art Kendall
Social Research Consultants

=====================
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

[Art Kendall]

I always consider a readable set of syntax a target for any SPSS work.  Although using syntax is one of my soapboxes, I am flexible about how to get that set of syntax.

I use the GUI for some first drafts of syntax both for work, and for giving help.

In giving help, I frequently simulate some data that represents my understanding of the post.
I use the syntax for that, and often use the usually-to-be-avoided "execute".  When the data view looks right,  I often then use the GUI until I get what I
want in the output from a procedure. Then I go back to the GUI and click <paste>. Sometimes I remove specifications from the syntax that are defaults.


I find it hard to help people on how to use the GUI unless they are sitting looking at the same screen.

Art Kendall
Social Research Consultants

On 9/28/2010 10:56 AM, John F Hall wrote:

I only ever use syntax in preference to GUI. 

 

Reasons for this will soon become clear if you check out the syntax-based SPSS tutorials on my site.

 

John Hall
[hidden email]
http://surveyresearch.weebly.com

----- Original Message -----

From: [hidden email]

To: [hidden email]

Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 2010 1:16 PM

Subject: more virtues of using syntax: getting and giving remote help

  Using syntax makes it a lot easier to get help from others and for
other to give help.

Sending syntax (and error messages) makes it possible for others on the
list to know what you are trying to do and make good guesses about what
the problem is.

Also helpers can be explicit about what they are suggesting and can
often even test the concepts they are suggesting.

Many people who would help  have a single monitor.  Putting instructions
for using the GUI in an email is a very error prone process. They have
to remember exactly which choices they made in the GUI. Steps become so
"obvious" that it is easy to omit some. There are not many conventions
for instructing how to go through the menus. About the only ones I am
are aware of are:  angle brackets to indicate what to click or choose
from a menu,  and "type" to specify what to enter in edit boxes.

Many people who help do use the GUI to write first drafts but when they
are satisfied they exit via paste. The syntax pasted  into the syntax
window can then be copied into email and pasted into the requester's
syntax window.  Whereas when an email is a long series of click <this>
and type "that" the requester has to go back and forth from the email to
the GUI to do what is suggested, another error prone process.


Art Kendall
Social Research Consultants

=====================
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