Actually, the menu options in SPSS do "generate the syntax" in the backend, and this is pretty much what gets executed. This might be useful information for users who rely on the dialogue boxes for most procedures. If there is a need to retrace your steps, repeat a procedure, reconstruct a model, etc., the command syntax that SPSS generates from the dialogue box is automatically pasted to the SPSS.JNL file, and can be retrieved from there (to be copied and pasted to an SPSS syntax window for execution). The SPSS.JNL file is a simple text file, and can be read in any standard text editor or word processor, as well as an SPSS syntax window. You can control whether the file is appended or overwritten with each SPSS session through Edit...Options (SPSS 7.x) or Edit...Preferences (SPSS 6.x).

The PASTE button that appears in most dialogue boxes allows the user to send the syntax generated by the dialogue box immediately to an SPSS syntax window for execution or further editing. As initially pasted, this command syntax should be identical to that pasted to the SPSS.JNL file.

I hope this information is useful,

Ed Tverdek SPSS Technical Support

>---------- >From: Hector E. Maletta[SMTP:hmaletta@overnet.com.ar] >Sent: Thursday, September 04, 1997 10:46 PM >To: SPSSX-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU >Subject: Re: Syntax commands > >Stan Jones wrote: >> >> In article <3408DE54.7712@overnet.com.ar>, hmaletta@overnet.com.ar wrote: >> >Raeleen Mautner wrote: >> >> >> >> Can anyone tell me how and where to set up the syntax command for >> >> value labels? >> >> that is, if you have a bunch of items that are using the same >> >> values (1=agree, 2= etc..) and you want to save some time >> >> by not retyping the same scheme for a number of variables? >> >> >> > >> >You'll have to create a TEMPLATE (see the DATA menu, and proceed to >> >modify one of the existing templates to suit your needs), then apply it >> >to all the appropriate variables. >> >Unaccountably, SPSS is not able to create a template based on an >> >existing variable. You must start with the template, then apply it to >> >the variables. Also, you don't create templates from nothing: you've >> >only got to modify existing templates. >> > >> Hector is wrong. There is a simple syntax: >> >> VALUE LABELS varname1 to varname3 1 'Label1' 2 'Label2' 3 'Label3' / >> varname4 1 'LabelA' 2 'LabelB'. >> EXECUTE. >> >> You can also do missing values. >> >> MISSING VALUES varname1 to varname4 (9). > > > >Stan, >Of course, I did know the syntax, I've written commands like those for >years. But the question came from someone who may not know what to do >with syntax, so I tried to give a solution based on the menu rather than >requiring him to write commands in a syntax file. > > >You also wrote: >> >> A good way to check the syntax is to do a templates and then look at the >> output. It appears to me that templates actually generates the VARIABLE >> LABELS / VALUE LABELS, etc. syntax. > >Stan, > Almost all menu options in SPSS for Windows just perform an SPSS >command which can be also invoked through syntax. Menu options do not >actually 'generate the syntax', they just do the thing required (for >instance, they put labels in the variable); the syntax as such can be >'generated' (and later executed) if you choose 'Paste' instead of 'OK' >in any dialog box. The end result is the same. But I suspect many users >don't care about syntax, and will use SPSS as long as they get their >results by clicking on the menu. > > >Hector Maletta >Universidad del Salvador >Buenos Aires, Argentina >