Re: SPSS file record layout type 2 vs type 3

[Ben Pfaff]

Pascal Heus <address@hidden> writes:

> thanks for the feedback. SPSS format documentation is pretty sparse (only good
> paper I found is at http://www.wotsit.org/list.asp?search=sav&button=GO!) and
> I have this in my notes (after browsing the web for a while).   Also, the
> sfm-read.c file I have in the pspp source code seem to expect a layout_code 2
> (around line 650). My source code may be outdated though.

I think that you must be looking at an outdated version.  You can
view the latest version in the PSPP CVS, e.g.
        
http://cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/pspp/src/data/sys-file-reader.c?revision=1.57&root=pspp&view=markup
The latest version allows a value of 2 or 3 and makes no further
distinction between them.

I hope that you have found the PSPP documentation on the system
file format.  This is drawn from the wotsit documentation plus
pretty extensive experience with actual SPSS files around the
web.  The source for the latest version of the PSPP documentation
can be found at:
        
http://cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/pspp/doc/dev/system-file-format.texi?root=pspp&view=markup

> I'm using this check in a Java SPSS Reader but will then just change the code
> to accept both 2 and 3. I likewise found no difference in the test files I
> have received.

OK.  Let me know if you learn anything more.
-- 
Ben Pfaff 
http://benpfaff.org