Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:19:25 -0500
Reply-To: "Roberts, Michael" <robertsm@ahca.myflorida.com>
Sender: "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From: "Roberts, Michael" <robertsm@ahca.myflorida.com>
Subject: Re: Syntax color code issues
In-Reply-To: A<20939530.post@talk.nabble.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
For what it is worth, I have been using prior versions of SPSS and the
new syntax editor is an obvious improvement over the older ones - anyone
have to scrutinize lines and lines of code trying to find that missing
parenthesis, comma, or period?
The color highlighting helps reduce errors in the code while typing
(something I had found useful with the Textpad editor that some kind
soul had developed sometime back for version 10, I think).
So, the truncated commands are not highlighted (it would be a bonus if
it did) - but the code still runs, the program still works like it
should, and if I am a longtime coder, I don't have an issue with it.
If, on the other hand I am a novice to syntax, then the color coding
will help me, and others like me.
What I find odd is that for a longtime coder/programmer, why would
anyone make color coding the lynchpin of an argument to ditch a
fundamentally solid program? Or, for that matter, why would an
experienced programmer need any other automatic indicator of where one's
code begins or ends? Good coding practice includes comments,
indentation, spacing, etc., most likely obviating, or even circumventing
inherent program characteristics to achieve one's own ends.
This is not an issue to be simmering about IMHO.
Mike
-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
HBaize
Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 12:06 PM
To: SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: Syntax color code issues
Unfortunately myself and other long time syntax users were not part of
"great
deal of customer input" perhaps because users like myself have felt
abandoned for decades and are not actively communicating with SPSS inc.
My last comment in the previous post addresses the mistaken idea that
all
users are novices who formerly relied on the GUI. A syntax color coding
and
autofill use the same ugly all caps verbose syntax as the paste function
of
the GUI. I don't want that. If I did I'd type it in myself in that ugly
format. The autofill and paste function are fine for learning the
syntax,
but if you really know it you just type and you don't waste time typing
default options or holding down the caps lock key.
In my case I have hundreds of syntax files going back about 20 years. If
I
read them into the new color coding editor only about one third of the
keywords will be highlighted because they're abbreviated. Why couldn't
the
editor use the same logic as the syntax parser? I'm not going to revert
to a
simple learning mode of a novice just to have color.
Here's an example. If I want to do a simple bivariate correlation I
type:
cor var=varone vartwo.
The GUI would paste:
CORRELATIONS
/VARIABLES=varone vartwo
/PRINT=TWOTAIL NOSIG
/MISSING=PAIRWISE.
I much prefer the way I type it. If you really know the syntax the first
one
is both easier to type and easier to read. The only advantage of the
verbose
format of the GUI paste function is in helping novices learn the syntax.
The
all caps is just a holdover from the mainframe days. It is ugly and
anyone
active in on-line communities considers all caps to be shouting. It is
unnecessary. The parser is not case sensitive. On what basis is it "best
practice" to use all caps and verbose syntax? Where is the evidence?
>>The abbreviation rules are not uniform across procedures and are
really
not best practice.<<
The syntax itself is not uniform across procedures. I would argue the
three
character keyword abbreviation is one of the most consistent features
across
procedures.
All that would be necessary to make users like myself happy would be to
program the color coding using the same rules as the syntax parser. If
you
think about it that is the right way to do it. It is inconsistent to use
different rules for the editor than for the syntax parser. It would not
take
anything away from the training of new users though autofill or the
paste
function, but it would make the color coding fit the real syntax of the
parser and would work with old user typed syntax files just as well as
those
ugly GUI pasted files.
Harold R. Baize, PhD
Evaluations
Butte County Behavioral Health
I am not sure I understand the last comment. The new syntax editor was
a
direct response to customer demand and was implemented with a great deal
of
customer input.
The behavior mentioned below that originally started this thread, in
which
abbreviated syntax is not color coded, is actually by design. The
abbreviation rules are not uniform across procedures and are really not
best
practice. The syntax that worked previous will continue to work, it
just
will not get color coded as well formed syntax.
Regards.
Kyle Weeks, Ph.D.
Director of Product Strategy, SPSS Statistics
SPSS Inc.
kweeks@spss.com
www.spss.com
SPSS Inc. helps organizations turn data into insight through predictive
analytics.
-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
HBaize
Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 9:44 AM
To: SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: Syntax color code issues
I'm glad it works for you. The GUI is fine for a lot of people too, but
logically it should work the same as the syntax parser. I think SPSS
should
provide better support for syntax users because if we all jump ship to R
it
will eventually sink SPSS inc.
--
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http://www.nabble.com/Syntax-color-code-issues-tp20918896p20939530.html
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