Re: PSPP-BUG: Error Opening SPSS .sav File

[Ben Pfaff]

Andy Choens <address@hidden> writes:

> The .sav file appears to import accurately, but produces the following 
> warning 
> / error:
> PSPP warning: "/home/andy/Documents/test.sav" near offset 0x148: File 
> specifies 
> unexpected value -1.79769e+308 as LOWEST.

This is really curious.  When I examine test.sav, I see that the
value for LOWEST is the value ordinarily used for SYSMIS by older
versions of SPSS.  I wonder whether this is an SPSS v20 bug or
whether it indicates an actual change in behavior.

Can you try an experiment for me?  Load test.sav into SPSS v20,
then run the syntax command
        MISSING VALUES dumb (LOWEST THRU 0).
then save it again and pass along the .sav file.  This should
allow me to determine the real meaning of this warning.

> PSPP warning: "/home/andy/Documents/test.sav" near offset 0x164: Invalid 
> variable display parameters for variable 0 (DUMB).  Default parameters 
> substituted.

What measurement level (nominal/ordinal/scale) does SPSS v20 show
for "dumb"?  This will allow me to tell how to interpret the
as-yet not understood values in this record.

Thanks,

Ben.
-- 
Ben Pfaff 
http://benpfaff.org