Instructions for Downloading and Using
Sociometrics' Datasets with SPSS for Windows

Instructions for Downloading Sociometrics' Datasets from the SSEDL web site

Step 1. Download File

• After selecting a dataset, click on the link for the PC version to initiate the download.
• Our data set files are zipped, so typically, when you click on the file you wish to download, the browser has a download operation in place, such as smart download for netscape.
• The zipped file is downloaded to wherever you have specified in your browser setup.

Step 2. Unzip File and Examine the Contents

• After download, you can unzip with windows pkzip or any other software you have to accomplish this action.
• Our set of files include raw data (*.raw), SPSS program statements for windows, unix, and pc/dos (*.spw, *.spx, *.spc respectively), SAS (*.sas) program statments, a data dictionary (*.dic) and frequency (*.frq) output files, and a user's guide (*.pdf). *.SPW is the SPSS Windows version of the syntax. Some of the older datasets do not come zipped with the .SPW file. If your dataset does not have an SPW file, you can download one from Sociometrics public ftp site at: ftp://www.socio.com/pub/SPSS_win/

Instructions for Using Sociometrics' Datasets with SPSS for Windows

To create an SPSS system file:

Step 1. Launch SPSS/Windows

Step 2. Select File, Open, Syntax

• Find filename.spw (the dataset name is the filename, e.g. rad0810.spw) and click on the filename to place it in the dialog box. (Unless you have renamed your syntax file with an .sps extension, you must change the filetype by selecting *.* as the type of file that will be viewed in the dialog box.)
• SPSS should open the syntax file in the syntax window.

Step 3. Edit the Syntax File

• You will need to edit the "data list file = filename.raw" command line so that the location of the raw data file is specified. Example:

  data list file = "c:\my documents\rad0810.raw" records = [number is already in the syntax]

• The records subcommand should already have a number specifying the number of data records that will be read from the raw data file. This subcommand does not need to be edited or changed in any way.
• You may also add a "save outfile = analysis.sav". command at the very end of the syntax. This command will save a system file in the directory you are working from.

Step 4. Run the Syntax File

• To run the syntax, highlight all of the syntax and select Run from the menu.
• Please note that if you have downloaded a very large dataset, you may not be able to process the entire set of syntax statements without:

  a) running pieces of the syntax at a time. For example, for some datasets you may want to run the data list portion of the syntax only, adding an execute. command after the period that delimits the data list portion. Then you may have to break up the variable labels, value labels, etc portions or syntax because there are too many syntactic elements for SPSS to process. If you receive the message "missing command delimiter" when running syntax the problem is usually that SPSS cannot process so many text commands at once.

  b) creating syntax extracts with a smaller selection of variables.

For the larger datasets, if you have access to a network or mainframe system with SPSS, it is sometimes easier to create the analysis file on that system, then create a portable system file. That portable system file can be read by SPSS Windows. SPSS Windows doesn't seem to have problems reading enormous portables files, but does give problems when syntax files have many, many commands and declarations.

Please call or email Dr. Tom Wells, Director of Sociometrics Research Support Group, if you have any questions or need assistance.

Dr. Tom Wells
Director, Research Support Group
Phone: 800-846-3475
Email: twells@socio.com.