Using TIMELIMIT to Return Control (HOST command)

Since the HOST command runs synchronously, commands that launch applications result in the suspension of further IBM® SPSS® Statistics processing until the application finishes execution. That means that any commands that follow the HOST command will not be executed until any applications launched by the command are closed.

Example

OMS /DESTINATION FORMAT=HTML 
  OUTFILE='c:\temp\temp.htm'.
FREQUENCIES VARIABLES=ALL.
OMSEND.
HOST COMMAND=['c:\temp\temp.htm'].
DESCRIPTIVES VARIABLES=ALL.

• On Windows operating systems, if the .htm extension is associated with an application (typically Internet Explorer), the HOST command in this example will launch the associated application.
• In the absence of a TIMELIMIT specification, the subsequent DESCRIPTIVES command will not be executed until the application launched by the HOST command is closed.

To make sure control is automatically returned to IBM SPSS Statistics and subsequent commands are executed, include a TIMELIMIT value, as in:

OMS /DESTINATION FORMAT=HTML 
  OUTFILE='c:\temp\temp.htm'.
FREQUENCIES VARIABLES=ALL.
OMSEND.
HOST COMMAND=['c:\temp\temp.htm'] TIMELIMIT=5.
DESCRIPTIVES VARIABLES=ALL.