pass a file name from script to syntax

[Jodene Fine]

Dear all,



I am trying to make a script interface for users to select a file, and then
pass the filename to syntax by calling the syntax from the script file. Is
this possible? I think I might be missing a major concept here, since it
isn't working. Thank you all in advance.



Jodene



Here is the code I am using to test this idea:

-          Note: the error is : 'A macro symbol is invalid in this context'

-          Note deux: Test code indicates that a macro !infile when defined
within the syntax is indeed OK







'-------------------------------------------

' THIS IS THE SCRIPT

'-------------------------------------------

Sub Main

Dim StrGetfile As String

StrGetfile = GetFilePath(, "sav", ,"Please select the file to process", 0)



' Define macro for file name

      CmdStr = "DEFINE !infile() '" & StrGetfile & "' !ENDDEFINE." & vbCr



' Run syntax file

      Set objSyntaxDoc = objSpssApp.OpenSyntaxDoc ("testpassname.sps")

      objSyntaxDoc.Visible=True

      objSyntaxDoc.Run

      objSyntaxDoc.Close

      Set objSyntaxDoc = Nothing

End Sub







*----------------------------.

* This is a simplified syntax file 'testpassname.sps'.

* I expect !infile from the script to be passed (erroneously?).

* SPSS tells me that on the get file statement !infile is invalid.

*----------------------------.

get file = !infile.

exe.





__________________

Jodene Goldenring Fine, Ph.D.

MSU Center for Neurodevelopmental Study

Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry

321 West Fee Hall

East Lansing, MI 48854



[phone] [phone] fax

[hidden email]   www.psychology.msu.edu/CNS



"Be a nice person and see if it works."

Chinese Fortune Cookie, Berkeley, CA, circa 1974



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[Richard Ristow]

At 05:38 PM 5/7/2008, Jodene Fine wrote:

>I am trying to make a script interface for users to select a file,
>and then pass the filename to syntax by calling the syntax from the
>script file. Is this possible? I think I might be missing a major
>concept here, since it isn't working. Thank you all in advance.

It isn't quite fair of me to respond; - you need VB'ers, and I'm not
one. Nevertheless,

>-          Note: the error is : 'A macro symbol is invalid in this context'
>-          Note deux: Test code indicates that a macro !infile when
>defined within the syntax is indeed OK

OK. That means the 'DEFINE' is not getting executed, from your VB logic.

>'-------------------------------------------
>' THIS IS THE SCRIPT
>'-------------------------------------------
>
>Sub Main
[...]
>' Define macro for file name
>       CmdStr = "DEFINE !infile() '" & StrGetfile & "' !ENDDEFINE." & vbCr

Ignorant question: Where does SPSS 'see' this command? I don't see it
referred to in the code below.

Anyway, coincidentally I'm on a VB-to-SPSS project myself, now. (No,
I'm not the VB person.) The way they do it is, write out
("WriteLine") with the varying information. In your case, that would
be the DEFINE; or, if you only want to GET the file, it could be the
GET FILE statement. Following the varying information, the little
file just written includes an INCLUDE (or INSERT) for the main SPSS
code -- in your case "testpassname.sps" -- and then invokes the small
file, pretty much as you're doing it.

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[Peck, Jon]

The problem is that the macro definition, which belongs to the domain of syntax, not SaxBasic, is never passed to SPSS to execute.  You could execute it by using the Runsyntax function, or you could just execute the GET statement using that same function and forget about the macro altogether.

HTH,
Jon Peck

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Jodene Fine
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 3:38 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [SPSSX-L] pass a file name from script to syntax

Dear all,



I am trying to make a script interface for users to select a file, and then
pass the filename to syntax by calling the syntax from the script file. Is
this possible? I think I might be missing a major concept here, since it
isn't working. Thank you all in advance.



Jodene



Here is the code I am using to test this idea:

-          Note: the error is : 'A macro symbol is invalid in this context'

-          Note deux: Test code indicates that a macro !infile when defined
within the syntax is indeed OK







'-------------------------------------------

' THIS IS THE SCRIPT

'-------------------------------------------

Sub Main

Dim StrGetfile As String

StrGetfile = GetFilePath(, "sav", ,"Please select the file to process", 0)



' Define macro for file name

      CmdStr = "DEFINE !infile() '" & StrGetfile & "' !ENDDEFINE." & vbCr



' Run syntax file

      Set objSyntaxDoc = objSpssApp.OpenSyntaxDoc ("testpassname.sps")

      objSyntaxDoc.Visible=True

      objSyntaxDoc.Run

      objSyntaxDoc.Close

      Set objSyntaxDoc = Nothing

End Sub







*----------------------------.

* This is a simplified syntax file 'testpassname.sps'.

* I expect !infile from the script to be passed (erroneously?).

* SPSS tells me that on the get file statement !infile is invalid.

*----------------------------.

get file = !infile.

exe.





__________________

Jodene Goldenring Fine, Ph.D.

MSU Center for Neurodevelopmental Study

Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry

321 West Fee Hall

East Lansing, MI 48854



[phone] [phone] fax

[hidden email]   www.psychology.msu.edu/CNS



"Be a nice person and see if it works."

Chinese Fortune Cookie, Berkeley, CA, circa 1974



_________________________________________

Legal Notice
Electronic Mail is not secure, may not be read every day, and should not be
used for urgent or sensitive issues. The material in this transmission may
contain confidential information intended for the addressee. If you are not
the addressee, any disclosure or use of this information by you is strictly
prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please delete
it and destroy all copies

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