Error: The attempt to save the data file has failed because the disk is full, an I/O error has occurred, the variable dictionary is invalid, or the task was interrupted.

We received a question from Ilan Shrira, who got an error while saving a file:

I just bought a 120 gigabyte external hard drive, and whenever I try to save an SPSS file
that’s more than 4 gigabyte onto it, it stops and says “Warning #5322, The attempt to save the data file has failed because the disk is full, an I/O error has occurred, the variable dictionary is invalid, or the task was interrupted”

I didn’t have any trouble saving 2 or 3 gigabyte files of the save type. Is is possible that there’s some other kind of glitch in my file.”

9 comments August 23rd, 2006 andris

Linear regression

We get a lot of questions about regression analysis. We have dug into this and decided to write a post about it, so we can help everyone with this.

You do a regression when you assume that a variable is influencing another one, like in the following example: We assume that cars that run on Diesel have higher costs.

To test this assumption, we run a Linear Regression in SPSS. Take the following steps:

- Define your dependent and independent variable. In our example Fuel is the indepent variable and Costs is the dependent one.
- Click Analyze
- Go to Regression and click Linear
- Click “Fuel” into the Independent variable field, and “Costs” into the Dependent variable field.

6 comments August 21st, 2006 andris

SPSS is everywere

(Source: Flickr)

Add comment August 17th, 2006 mark

Recoding with a syntax

This week we got a question from Timo.

Is it possible to use syntax when recoding variables? For example, if I
had a variable that included the following values:

Ladybird
Bluebird
Elm
Butterfly

and I wanted to recode any values that included ‘bird’ into a new value
‘bird’, can I do this with the Recode transformation?

To solve to problem the following syntax is an option:

DATA LIST LIST /var1(A15).
BEGIN DATA
Bluebird
Ladybird
Birdwatcher
Butterfly
Elm
END DATA.

STRING newVar(A15).
DO IF INDEX(UPCASE(var1),”BIRD”) > 0 .
- COMPUTE newVar=”BIRD”.
END IF.
EXECUTE.

Add comment August 17th, 2006 mark

SPSS 15.0 … curious?

If you are curious about the latest developments in SPSS, and want to check out the new - still to become available in store - version of SPSS (15.0), visit this page about the See it in SPSS: free seminar exclusively for SPSS customers. Unfortunately for us, only in the US.

Add comment August 15th, 2006 andris