CHAPTER 5

FILES CREATED AND USED BY SPSSWIN

A full installation of SPSSWIN Version 10.0 will include a variety of data files. To see these files (e.g.,
"Cars", University of Florida Graduate Salaries, etc.) click on FILE OPEN <filename>
NOTE: The symbol is used throughout this reader to indicate the user is to click on a
submenu of a pulldown menu
The user can create new data files using the data editor or use SPSSWIN data files created by others
(students in COM5331 will be asked to use a variety of files created by the instructor or past students in
the course).
SPSSWIN data files have the extender ".SAV".
It is possible to use other types of files in SPSSWIN 10.0. They include:
1.

SPSS/PC+ system files

SPSSWIN will read SPSS/PC+ system files if they have the extender ".SAV". If you have an
ASCII file (designed to be used with SPSSPC+) that you wish to analyze using SPSSWIN, it is
much better to construct a system file than work with a "raw" data file (ASCII).

2.

Spreadsheet files (e.g., Excel)

The spreadsheet should be set up with Rows as cases (respondent, questionnaire, etc.) and the
Columns as variables (age, race, etc.). Excel files should be saved as "SYLK" files before
opening them in SPSSWIN.

3.

ASCII text files

If you try to import an ASCII rectangular, fixed-format data file (a "raw" data file one would
normally create if using SPSS/PC+ or mainframe versions of SPSS or SPSS-X a file with no
tabs between data) all the data will be "squeezed" into the first cell in each row. The data are
unusable in this form.
If you wish to import an ASCII file that is not tab-delimited, click on FILE OPEN. Then, in the
files of type box click on tab delimited (*.dat, *.txt). From the files displayed in the dialog box,
click on the file of interest and then click on OPEN. This will bring up the TEXT IMPORT WIZARD.
You would follow each step of the wizard. The key step is indicating the column width of each
variable. You need to know the column width for all variables in the data file.

4.

Database files (e.g., dBase)

5.

Other (SPSS portable files, SYSTAT data files)

SPSSWIN data files can be saved in various formats.

Click on FILE SAVE AS SAVE AS TYPE and click on the preferred format. Choices include:
SPSSWIN 7.0
SPSS/PC+ (extender ".SYS")
SPSS portable file (extender ".POR") to use a data file, for instance, in SPSS for the Macintosh
ASCII (tab-delimited; extender ".DAT") values separated by tabs
Fixed ASCII (extender ".DAT") data in fixed format; use this choice if working with SPSS/PC+
Excel (".XLS") and Lotus 1-2-3 (".WK3)
Symbolic Link (SYLK) -- for Excel

 SPSSWIN creates other files during routine processing that can be saved.
They include:
1.

Syntax files
A syntax file contains a record of commands (syntax) pasted to a Syntax Window during an
SPSSWIN session. A saved syntax file can be opened and some or all commands can be
highlighted and run. Syntax files have the extender ".SPS".

2.

Navigator Document
All output (results of various statistical procedures) including charts is written to a Navigator
Document. Navigator documents have the extender ".SPO".