Re: SPSS version 12 file format

[Michael Kiefte]

On Sunday 28 November 2004 01:48, Rob Messer wrote:
> There is one problem -- the SPSS v12 format is not published that I know
> of, it would probably have to be reverse engineered unless somebody can
> find that file format somehow.  It may not be that much different from
> the old format except for the long variable names, I'm not sure.  The
> time to figure out the file format would just have to be factored into
> the cost.

The file format is not that different.  However, I was under the impression 
that PSPP already handled long variable names (longer than 8 chars?), but 
evidently, I may be wrong.  The only other differences I'm aware of are the 
additional miscellaneous records in the file dictionary like variable 
alignment (left, centre, or right) and variable scale (nominal, ordinal, 
scalar).  

I can look into this, since this is something I'm interested in this as well.  
(but not in the next couple of weeks).

- Michael.