Adjusting Width in SPSS for Thought Listing Variables - Problemo (case 21096)

[jason_reed]

Could you please tell me exactly how and in which file related to MediaLab (i.e., the output files, the .que files) you adjusted width of any variables for Thought Listing Items?

[petrocjv]

The output file within the by variable name folder ".sav". After the SPSS file is created (after running through the experiment), I was always able to adjust the width of string variables in SPSS. For example, let's say I had a thought listing variable (thought1) in the experiment with parameter n1, I could adjust the "thought1_01" variable in SPSS from the default of 255 to 500 if I anticipated that participants would write beyond 255 characters. The width default in SPSS is now 765 characters for string variables. However, when I adjust this width beyond 765, it still only captures 255 characters of writing for thought listing variables (leaving out lots of qualitative data), even though the default is 765. Not sure why this is happening.

[jason_reed]

What version of SPSS do you use where you experience this problem?

[petrocjv]

Spss 22.0.

[jason_reed]

Does this problem occur with only MediaLab files you created or does it happen when you run files from the Samples folder in the MediaLab file folder as well?

Does this problem occur on only one computer or multiple computers?

[petrocjv]

Does this problem occur with only MediaLab files you created or does it happen when you run files from the Samples folder in the MediaLab file folder as well?

Does this problem occur on only one computer or multiple computers?

I tested Sample 1 from the Samples folder because it a thought-listing event. Yes, the same thing happens. Although the width is defaulted to 765 in SPSS for variable tl1_01, it only collects 255 characters in SPSS (version 22, also using MediaLab v2012). I noticed that the entire set of characters is collected in the Excel version of the data set. So, there must be something wrong with the MediaLab-SPSS communication. The same occurs on all of my lab computers, and my student's computers.

[jason_reed]

Thanks for the update. If all of the characters appear in the Excel version-I assume this is the .csv file format-then you can import it into SPSS to have all of the data available.

I will share this with a programmer here and see what they think.