=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 26 Jul 2006 18:01:03 -0300
Reply-To:     Hector Maletta <hmaletta@fibertel.com.ar>
Sender:       "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Hector Maletta <hmaletta@fibertel.com.ar>
Subject:      Re: SPSS Macro error
Comments: To: "Oliver, Richard" <roliver@SPSS.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <E0428445172CB7469BF187FF4D00514903677123@CHIEMAIL1.spss.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Richard,
Would that setting (SET PRINTBACK ON MPRINT ON) clarify error ordinary
messages as the one posted by Joseph, outside of debugging macros? I often
find incomprehensible error messages not referring to any line or column at
all, or mentioning the column but not the line. This is, IMHO, one the most
annoying things I ever encounter while using SPSS. If only line and column
were mentioned one may find one's way using the status bar, but otherwise
the message is Ancient Greek (or Egyptian) to me.
I also vaguely remember someone saying on this list that a list of error
numbers with the corresponding explanations existed somewhere, but I cannot
remember where. Could it not be made more accessible? Perhaps in a
context-sensitive right-click menu? I would love right-clicking on an error
message in the output window, causing a menu to drop down, then choosing
something like 'Look up error' and finding a clear explanation of the error
(plus possible suggestions for fixing it). A less ambitious option might be
a de-contextualized Utilities menu option for looking up a list of error
numbers and their explanations.
Hope never dies, but takes a beating every day...
Hector

-----Mensaje original-----
De: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] En nombre de
Oliver, Richard
Enviado el: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 3:27 PM
Para: SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Asunto: Re: SPSS Macro error

"column 25" is a position within a line. If you increase the width of the
syntax window, in the lower right portion of the status bar, you'll see both
line and column numbers displayed, indicating the current cursor location.
When debugging macros use

SET PRINTBACK ON MPRINT ON.

to display the generated code in the output window. That will often make
error messages easier to interpret.

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
Joseph Hoffman
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 9:25 AM
To: SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: SPSS Macro error

Dear SPSS Listers:
  I am trying to write my first SPSS macro with v. 13.0 for Windows. I got
the following error message:

  >Error # 6839 in column 25.  Text: (
>In a macro expression, a left parenthesis immediately follows an operand.
>This command not executed.

Where do I look for "column 25"?  The message doesn't reference line
numbers, like usual error messages.

Thanks for any help!
Sincerely,

Joe Hoffman

======================================
Joseph H Hoffman
Data Analyst
Research Institute on Addictions
State University of New York at Buffalo
1021 Main Street
Buffalo NY 14203
phone 716-887-2219
FAX 716-887-2510
e-mail  hoffman@ria.buffalo.edu