Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2000 20:20:41 -0300
Reply-To: hmaletta@overnet.com.ar
Sender: "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From: "Hector E. Maletta" <hmaletta@OVERNET.COM.AR>
Subject: Re: data file size limitations
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Scott,
I have managed SPSS files up to some 400 Mb, with about half a million
cases, and all ran without a glitch. As I understand it, SPSS never had
any limit on the number of cases but on total file size (formerly the
limit was 4 GB, but I do not know whether this limit still rules). Your
1.2 million cases x 80 variables x 20 bytes per variable (a generous
allowance) would be 1,920,000,000 bytes, or about 1.78 Gigabytes. That's
large, but shouldn't be rejected by SPSS, except there is no room in
your disk. I suspect the swap file size does not matter, since SPSS does
not need to hold all the data in (physical or virtual) RAM. On the
contrary, increasing the swap file may actually reduce the available
space for data in your disk.
The SET command contains a specification (you'll find it also under
Options in the menu) to create the working file in compressed format.
The syntax is SET COMPRESS=ON. That may help.
Hector Maletta
Universidad del Salvador
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Scott Compton wrote:
>
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> Hi SPSSers,
>
> A few weeks ago I remember somebody posting an email regarding file size =
> limitations with SPSS. I recently got a data file with 1.2 million cases =
> and about 80 variables. Needless to say, SPSS has been a little =
> temperamental. For instance, it can open the SAS export file, but when I =
> save it in SPSS format it only saves 451,000 of the cases. To help SPSS =
> out, I've expanded my swap file to 1 GB and freed up as many system =
> resources as possible. Has anyone out there used SPSS to handle a large =
> data file like this? Is SPSS capable of handling a data file this large? =
> Any help with system settings or SPSS settings would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Scott Compton
> Duke University Medical Center=20
>
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> <DIV><FONT size=3D2>Hi SPSSers,</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT size=3D2>A few weeks ago I remember somebody posting an email =
> regarding=20
> file size limitations with SPSS. I recently got a data file with 1.2 =
> million=20
> cases and about 80 variables. Needless to say, SPSS has been a little=20
> temperamental. For instance, it can open the SAS export file, but when I =
> save it=20
> in SPSS format it only saves 451,000 of the cases. To help SPSS out, =
> I've=20
> expanded my swap file to 1 GB and freed up as many system resources as =
> possible.=20
> Has anyone out there used SPSS to handle a large data file like =
> this? Is=20
> SPSS capable of handling a data file this large? Any help with system =
> settings=20
> or SPSS settings would be appreciated.</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT size=3D2>Thanks in advance,</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT size=3D2>Scott Compton</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV><FONT size=3D2>Duke University Medical Center</FONT> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
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