SPSS is a statistics analysis program that many FORMS users use to examine their data. If Generate SPSS syntax command file is selected as a Transfer job option, then an extra file is created when you run the job, namely a syntax command file that can be used with SPSS to import and format data from the transfer file.
The command file consists of a number of command lines to import the data set by specifying a file and the data positions, and finally an "execute" command.
If the data comes from sets and there is a set transaction description, then this set transaction description is used as a template for the data. If not, the transaction description from the first form definition in the job description is used.
Numeric fields longer than two characters have an extra format specification added, "(F,0)", which indicates a numeric format with no decimals. (SPSS cannot handle decimals.) Non-numeric fields are appended with "(A)", signifying a string.
When Transfer has created an SPSS syntax command file and a FORMS transfer file, start SPSS and select ð Open and ð All to view the data.
Tip: Any field help texts you created for field definitions are used in SPSS. For unindexed fields, help texts are used as variable labels. For indexed fields, help texts are used as value labels. This is particularly useful for indexed mark fields.
SPSS accepts fields names of max. 8 characters (FORMS accepts 11 characters).
SPSS does not accept field names beginning with "#" or "¤", which are used in FORMS variable names.
SPSS does not differentiate between upper- and lowercase field names, as FORMS does.
Transfer files with separator characters, quotation marks, or Compact format (specified in the dialog) may cause problems.