Syntax files

Production jobs use command syntax files to tell IBM® SPSS® Statistics what to do. A command syntax file is a simple text file containing command syntax. You can use the syntax editor or any text editor to create the file. You can also generate command syntax by pasting dialog box selections into a syntax window. See the topic Working with Command Syntax for more information.

If you include multiple command syntax files, the files are concatenated together in the order they appear in the list and run as a single job.

Syntax format. Controls the form of the syntax rules used for the job.

  • Interactive. Each command must end with a period. Periods can appear anywhere within the command, and commands can continue on multiple lines, but a period as the last nonblank character on a line is interpreted as the end of the command. Continuation lines and new commands can start anywhere on a new line. These are the "interactive" rules in effect when you select and run commands in a syntax window.
  • Batch. Each command must start at the beginning of a new line (no blank spaces before the start of the command), and continuation lines must be indented at least one space. If you want to indent new commands, you can use a plus sign, dash, or period as the first character at the start of the line and then indent the actual command. The period at the end of the command is optional. This setting is compatible with the syntax rules for command files included with the INCLUDE command.

    Note: Do not use the Batch option if your syntax files contain GGRAPH command syntax that includes GPL statements. GPL statements will only run under interactive rules.

See the topic Running Commands for more information.

Error Processing. Controls the treatment of error conditions in the job.

  • Continue processing after errors. Errors in the job do not automatically stop command processing. The commands in the production job files are treated as part of the normal command stream, and command processing continues in the normal fashion.
  • Stop processing immediately. Command processing stops when the first error in a production job file is encountered. This is compatible with the behavior of command files included with the INCLUDE command.