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

[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.

[petrocjv]

I understand that the data can be easily copied and pasted from Excel into SPSS, but this wasn't a necessary step in the past, with previous versions. Previously, widening the width of a variable in SPSS, before data were collected, enabled more characters to be received and saved in SPSS (without any help from Excel)...

[jason_reed]

Please tell me exactly which file format from the MediaLab data folder you opened in SPSS. It sounds like you used the .sav file format. Have you tried to first open SPSS and then import either the .csv or .txt file format into SPSS using the .sps syntax file? You should be able to set the character length in the .sps syntax file.

[petrocjv]

Yes, I use the .sav file. I never had this problem in the past. My guess is that SPSS 22 had an update that doesn't correspond with MediaLab v2012. Perhaps some sort of patch needs to be created. The only way I can see more than 255 characters on thought listing events is to find them in the Excel version of the data - that creates another step as I need the complete thought, approximately 500 characters, to be saved directly into SPSS.

[jason_reed]

Thank you for the update. When using the .sav file, did you fist open SPSS and then open the .sav file, or did you just double-click directly on the .sav file to open it?

As part of any bug hunting, would you mind first opening SPSS and then importing either the .csv or .txt file format into SPSS using the .sps syntax file? Make sure to set the character length in the .sps syntax file. Let us know if you still have the same error as if you just tried to open a .sav file.