User preferences

The Preferences tab provides options for changing user interface settings, output language, locale settings, file/data/output/syntax settings, viewing product updates, and viewing the installed product extensions.

The Preferences tab can be accessed through the Preferences... menu item (IBMSPSSStatistics > Preferences... on macOS and File > Preferences... on Microsoft Windows). The Preferences tab is identified by the following icon in the tab header.

General

The General section provides the following settings.

Number of recently used files: Specify the number of recently used files to display when the application starts. The default setting is 20.
Language: Specify which user interface and output language use. You can also specify which locale to use. The selected language affects the user interface and generated output. The local sets the regional display formats for information like time, date, currency, and decimal delimiters.
Notifications: Show the viewer tab (when results are available).
Quick access to keyboard commands: The toggle control enables or disables quick access to keyboard commands.
Share usage data: The toggle control enables or disables the sharing of usage data.

Files

The Files section provides the following settings.

Temporary folder: Click Change to specify a different location for temporary files.
Startup folders: You can specify to use the last folder used (the default setting) or specify where the application looks for data and other files.
Session journal: The settings provide options for appending or overwriting session journal entries. Click Change to specify a different location for journal files.
Auto-recovery: Provides settings that control the automatic recovery feature. Automatic recovery is designed to recover unsaved files and content in instances where the application quits unexpectedly. You can select to enable or disable the automatic recovery feature (the feature is enabled by default), select a time interval (in minutes) between saving files, view or change the auto-recovery file location, and set a file size threshold for when auto-recovery occurs.

Data

The Data section provides the following settings.

Display format for new numeric variables

The global width and decimal place settings for new numeric variables. The default settings width = 8 and decimal places = 2.

Note: The Decimal settings value applies only to how data displays in the Data tab. The setting has no affect on decimal values when run in selected analyses.

Set century for 2-digit years

Provides options for determining the century for 2-digit years. The default value is Automatic (1951-2050). The Custom setting provides options for selecting a beginning and ending year.

Assign measurement level

The Cut-off value affects the measurement level assignment for both new variables and for data that is read from external sources. For unique values, Cut-off value is used to determine the measurement level for numeric fields.

Random number generators

The following random number generators are available. The active generator setting applies immediately and for future sessions.

Legacy Multiplicative Congruential: Select this option when you need to reproduce randomized results based on a specified seed value.
Mersenne Twister: A newer random number generator that is more reliable for simulation purposes.

Round and truncate numeric values

Provides a setting for defining the number of fuzz and bits used in RND and.TRUNC

Currency

Provides options for specifying the custom output format, decimal separator, and custom currency prefix and suffix settings.

Output

The Output section provides the following settings.

General options

Provides settings for specifying how item labels display for output and pivot tables. The section also controls how notation in handled in tables and charts.

Outline labeling: You can select to display variables in item labels as labels, names, or a combination of both. You can also select to display variable values in item labels as labels, values, or a combination of both.
Pivot table labeling: You can select to display variables in item labels as labels, names, or a combination of both. You can also select to display variable values in item labels as labels, values, or a combination of both.
Notation: You can select to hide scientific notation for small numbers and tables, apply the selected locale's digit grouping format to numeric values, and display a leading zero for decimal values.
Log: You can select to display commands in the log.

Output display

You can select to display output in the Model Viewer, or in pivot tables and charts. The settings do not affect all output. The selected output display method applies only to the GENLINMIXED procedure.

Syntax

The Syntax section provides the Auto completion toggle control. When enabled, the syntax editor provides type-ahead assistance, allowing you to more quickly enter syntax.

Extensions

The Extensions dialog displays all installed product extensions (for example, the Integration plugin for R. Depending on the installed extensions, you can change the extension location.

About

The About dialog displays the product update history. Information includes the version number, release date, and release notes.