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[pspp] / doc / files.texi

@node System and Portable File IO
@chapter System and Portable File I/O

The commands in this chapter read, write, and examine system files and
portable files.

@menu
* APPLY DICTIONARY::            Apply system file dictionary to active dataset.
* EXPORT::                      Write to a portable file.
* GET::                         Read from a system file.
* GET DATA::                    Read from foreign files.
* IMPORT::                      Read from a portable file.
* SAVE::                        Write to a system file.
* SAVE TRANSLATE::              Write data in foreign file formats.
* SYSFILE INFO::                Display system file dictionary.
* XEXPORT::                     Write to a portable file, as a transformation.
* XSAVE::                       Write to a system file, as a transformation.
@end menu

@node APPLY DICTIONARY
@section APPLY DICTIONARY
@vindex APPLY DICTIONARY

@display
APPLY DICTIONARY FROM=@{'@var{file_name}',@var{file_handle}@}.
@end display

@cmd{APPLY DICTIONARY} applies the variable labels, value labels,
and missing values taken from a file to corresponding
variables in the active dataset.  In some cases it also updates the
weighting variable.

Specify a system file or portable file's name, a data set name
(@pxref{Datasets}), or a file handle name (@pxref{File Handles}).  The
dictionary in the file will be read, but it will not replace the
active dataset's dictionary.  The file's data will not be read.

Only variables with names that exist in both the active dataset and the
system file are considered.  Variables with the same name but different
types (numeric, string) will cause an error message.  Otherwise, the
system file variables' attributes will replace those in their matching
active dataset variables:

@itemize @bullet
@item
If a system file variable has a variable label, then it will replace
the variable label of the active dataset variable.  If the system
file variable does not have a variable label, then the active dataset
variable's variable label, if any, will be retained.

@item
If the system file variable has custom attributes (@pxref{VARIABLE
ATTRIBUTE}), then those attributes replace the active dataset variable's
custom attributes.  If the system file variable does not have custom
attributes, then the active dataset variable's custom attributes, if any,
will be retained.

@item
If the active dataset variable is numeric or short string, then value
labels and missing values, if any, will be copied to the active dataset
variable.  If the system file variable does not have value labels or
missing values, then those in the active dataset variable, if any, will not
be disturbed.
@end itemize

In addition to properties of variables, some properties of the active
file dictionary as a whole are updated:

@itemize @bullet
@item
If the system file has custom attributes (@pxref{DATAFILE ATTRIBUTE}),
then those attributes replace the active dataset variable's custom
attributes.

@item
If the active dataset has a weighting variable (@pxref{WEIGHT}), and the
system file does not, or if the weighting variable in the system file
does not exist in the active dataset, then the active dataset weighting
variable, if any, is retained.  Otherwise, the weighting variable in
the system file becomes the active dataset weighting variable.
@end itemize

@cmd{APPLY DICTIONARY} takes effect immediately.  It does not read the
active dataset.  The system file is not modified.

@node EXPORT
@section EXPORT
@vindex EXPORT

@display
EXPORT
        /OUTFILE='@var{file_name}'
        /UNSELECTED=@{RETAIN,DELETE@}
        /DIGITS=@var{n}
        /DROP=@var{var_list}
        /KEEP=@var{var_list}
        /RENAME=(@var{src_names}=@var{target_names})@dots{}
        /TYPE=@{COMM,TAPE@}
        /MAP
@end display

The @cmd{EXPORT} procedure writes the active dataset's dictionary and
data to a specified portable file.

By default, cases excluded with FILTER are written to the
file.  These can be excluded by specifying DELETE on the @subcmd{UNSELECTED}
subcommand.  Specifying RETAIN makes the default explicit.

Portable files express real numbers in base 30.  Integers are always
expressed to the maximum precision needed to make them exact.
Non-integers are, by default, expressed to the machine's maximum
natural precision (approximately 15 decimal digits on many machines).
If many numbers require this many digits, the portable file may
significantly increase in size.  As an alternative, the @subcmd{DIGITS}
subcommand may be used to specify the number of decimal digits of
precision to write.  @subcmd{DIGITS} applies only to non-integers.

The @subcmd{OUTFILE} subcommand, which is the only required subcommand, specifies
the portable file to be written as a file name string or
a file handle (@pxref{File Handles}).

@subcmd{DROP}, @subcmd{KEEP}, and @subcmd{RENAME} follow the same format as the 
@subcmd{SAVE} procedure (@pxref{SAVE}).

The @subcmd{TYPE} subcommand specifies the character set for use in the
portable file.  Its value is currently not used.

The @subcmd{MAP} subcommand is currently ignored.

@cmd{EXPORT} is a procedure.  It causes the active dataset to be read.

@node GET
@section GET
@vindex GET

@display
GET
        /FILE=@{'@var{file_name}',@var{file_handle}@}
        /DROP=@var{var_list}
        /KEEP=@var{var_list}
        /RENAME=(@var{src_names}=@var{target_names})@dots{}
        /ENCODING='@var{encoding}'
@end display

@cmd{GET} clears the current dictionary and active dataset and
replaces them with the dictionary and data from a specified file.

The @subcmd{FILE} subcommand is the only required subcommand.  
Specify the system
file or portable file to be read as a string file name or
a file handle (@pxref{File Handles}).

By default, all the variables in a file are read.  The DROP
subcommand can be used to specify a list of variables that are not to be
read.  By contrast, the @subcmd{KEEP} subcommand can be used to specify
variable that are to be read, with all other variables not read.

Normally variables in a file retain the names that they were
saved under.  Use the @subcmd{RENAME} subcommand to change these names.
Specify,
within parentheses, a list of variable names followed by an equals sign
(@samp{=}) and the names that they should be renamed to.  Multiple
parenthesized groups of variable names can be included on a single
@subcmd{RENAME} subcommand.
Variables' names may be swapped using a @subcmd{RENAME}
subcommand of the form @subcmd{/RENAME=(@var{A} @var{B}=@var{B} @var{A})}.

Alternate syntax for the @subcmd{RENAME} subcommand allows the parentheses to be
eliminated.  When this is done, only a single variable may be renamed at
once.  For instance, @subcmd{/RENAME=@var{A}=@var{B}}.  This alternate syntax is
deprecated.

@subcmd{DROP}, @subcmd{KEEP}, and @subcmd{RENAME} are executed in left-to-right order.  
Each may be present any number of times.  @cmd{GET} never modifies a
file on disk.  Only the active dataset read from the file
is affected by these subcommands.

@pspp{} tries to automatically detect the encoding of string data in the
file.  Sometimes, however, this does not work well encoding,
especially for files written by old versions of SPSS or @pspp{}.  Specify
the @subcmd{ENCODING} subcommand with an @acronym{IANA} character set name as its string
argument to override the default.  The @subcmd{ENCODING} subcommand is a @pspp{}
extension.

@cmd{GET} does not cause the data to be read, only the dictionary.  The data
is read later, when a procedure is executed.

Use of @cmd{GET} to read a portable file is a @pspp{} extension.

@node GET DATA
@section GET DATA
@vindex GET DATA

@display
GET DATA
        /TYPE=@{GNM,ODS,PSQL,TXT@}
        @dots{}additional subcommands depending on TYPE@dots{}
@end display

The @cmd{GET DATA} command is used to read files and other data
sources created by other applications.  When this command is executed,
the current dictionary and active dataset are replaced with variables
and data read from the specified source.

The @subcmd{TYPE} subcommand is mandatory and must be the first subcommand
specified.  It determines the type of the file or source to read.
@pspp{} currently supports the following file types:

@table @asis
@item GNM
Spreadsheet files created by Gnumeric (@url{http://gnumeric.org}).

@item ODS
Spreadsheet files in OpenDocument format.

@item PSQL
Relations from PostgreSQL databases (@url{http://postgresql.org}).

@item TXT
Textual data files in columnar and delimited formats.
@end table

Each supported file type has additional subcommands, explained in
separate sections below.

@menu
* GET DATA /TYPE=GNM/ODS::     Spreadsheets
* GET DATA /TYPE=PSQL::        Databases
* GET DATA /TYPE=TXT::         Delimited Text Files
@end menu

@node GET DATA /TYPE=GNM/ODS
@subsection Spreadsheet Files

@display
GET DATA /TYPE=@{GNM, ODS@}
        /FILE=@{'@var{file_name}'@}
        /SHEET=@{NAME '@var{sheet_name}', INDEX @var{n}@}
        /CELLRANGE=@{RANGE '@var{range}', FULL@}
        /READNAMES=@{ON, OFF@}
        /ASSUMEDVARWIDTH=@var{n}.
@end display

@cindex Gnumeric
@cindex OpenDocument
@cindex spreadsheet files

Gnumeric spreadsheets (@url{http://gnumeric.org}), and spreadsheets
in OpenDocument format
(@url{http://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:OpenDocument/Software})
can be read using the @cmd{GET DATA} command.
Use the @subcmd{TYPE} subcommand to indicate the file's format.  
/TYPE=GNM indicates Gnumeric files,
/TYPE=ODS indicates OpenDocument.
The @subcmd{FILE} subcommand is mandatory.
Use it to specify the name file to be read. 
All other subcommands are optional.

The format of each variable is determined by the format of the spreadsheet 
cell containing the first datum for the variable.
If this cell is of string (text) format, then the width of the variable is
determined from the length of the string it contains, unless the 
@subcmd{ASSUMEDVARWIDTH} subcommand is given.

The @subcmd{SHEET} subcommand specifies the sheet within the spreadsheet file to read.
There are two forms of the @subcmd{SHEET} subcommand.
In the first form,
@subcmd{/SHEET=name @var{sheet_name}}, the string @var{sheet_name} is the
name of the sheet to read.
In the second form, @subcmd{/SHEET=index @var{idx}}, @var{idx} is a
integer which is the index of the sheet to read.
The first sheet has the index 1.
If the @subcmd{SHEET} subcommand is omitted, then the command will read the
first sheet in the file.

The @subcmd{CELLRANGE} subcommand specifies the range of cells within the sheet to read.
If the subcommand is given as @subcmd{/CELLRANGE=FULL}, then the entire
sheet  is read.
To read only part of a sheet, use the form 
@subcmd{/CELLRANGE=range '@var{top_left_cell}:@var{bottom_right_cell}'}.
For example, the subcommand @subcmd{/CELLRANGE=range 'C3:P19'} reads 
columns C--P, and rows 3--19 inclusive.
If no @subcmd{CELLRANGE} subcommand is given, then the entire sheet is read.

If @subcmd{/READNAMES=ON} is specified, then the contents of cells of
the first row are used as the names of the variables in which to store
the data from subsequent rows.  This is the default.
If @subcmd{/READNAMES=OFF} is
used, then the variables  receive automatically assigned names.

The @subcmd{ASSUMEDVARWIDTH} subcommand specifies the maximum width of string
variables read  from the file.
If omitted, the default value is determined from the length of the 
string in the first spreadsheet cell for each variable.


@node GET DATA /TYPE=PSQL
@subsection Postgres Database Queries

@display
GET DATA /TYPE=PSQL
         /CONNECT=@{@var{connection info}@}
         /SQL=@{@var{query}@}
         [/ASSUMEDVARWIDTH=@var{w}]
         [/UNENCRYPTED]
         [/BSIZE=@var{n}].
@end display

@cindex postgres
@cindex databases

The PSQL type is used to import data from a postgres database server.
The server may be located locally or remotely.
Variables are automatically created based on the table column names 
or the names specified in the SQL query.
Postgres data types of high precision, will loose precision when 
imported into @pspp{}.
Not all the postgres data types are able to be represented in @pspp{}.
If a datum cannot be represented a warning will be issued and that 
datum will be set to SYSMIS.

The @subcmd{CONNECT} subcommand is mandatory.
It is a string specifying the parameters of the database server from
which the data should be fetched.
The format of the string is given in the postgres manual
@url{http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.0/static/libpq.html#LIBPQ-CONNECT}.

The @subcmd{SQL} subcommand is mandatory.
It must be a valid SQL string to retrieve data from the database.

The @subcmd{ASSUMEDVARWIDTH} subcommand specifies the maximum width of string
variables read  from the database.
If omitted, the default value is determined from the length of the 
string in the first value read for each variable.

The @subcmd{UNENCRYPTED} subcommand allows data to be retrieved over an insecure
connection.
If the connection is not encrypted, and the @subcmd{UNENCRYPTED} subcommand is 
not given, then an error will occur.
Whether or not the connection is
encrypted depends upon the underlying psql library and the 
capabilities of the database server.

The @subcmd{BSIZE} subcommand serves only to optimise the speed of data transfer.
It specifies an upper limit on
number of cases to fetch from the database at once.
The default value is 4096.
If your SQL statement fetches a large number of cases but only a small number of
variables, then the data transfer may be faster if you increase this value.
Conversely, if the number of variables is large, or if the machine on which 
@pspp{} is running has only a
small amount of memory, then a smaller value will be better.


The following syntax is an example:
@example
GET DATA /TYPE=PSQL
     /CONNECT='host=example.com port=5432 dbname=product user=fred passwd=xxxx'
     /SQL='select * from manufacturer'.
@end example


@node GET DATA /TYPE=TXT
@subsection Textual Data Files

@display
GET DATA /TYPE=TXT
        /FILE=@{'@var{file_name}',@var{file_handle}@}
        [/ARRANGEMENT=@{DELIMITED,FIXED@}]
        [/FIRSTCASE=@{@var{first_case}@}]
        [/IMPORTCASE=@{ALL,FIRST @var{max_cases},PERCENT @var{percent}@}]
        @dots{}additional subcommands depending on ARRANGEMENT@dots{}
@end display

@cindex text files
@cindex data files
When TYPE=TXT is specified, GET DATA reads data in a delimited or
fixed columnar format, much like DATA LIST (@pxref{DATA LIST}).

The @subcmd{FILE} subcommand is mandatory.  Specify the file to be read as 
a string file name or (for textual data only) a
file handle (@pxref{File Handles}).

The @subcmd{ARRANGEMENT} subcommand determines the file's basic format.
DELIMITED, the default setting, specifies that fields in the input
data are separated by spaces, tabs, or other user-specified
delimiters.  FIXED specifies that fields in the input data appear at
particular fixed column positions within records of a case.

By default, cases are read from the input file starting from the first
line.  To skip lines at the beginning of an input file, set @subcmd{FIRSTCASE}
to the number of the first line to read: 2 to skip the first line, 3
to skip the first two lines, and so on.

@subcmd{IMPORTCASE} can be used to limit the number of cases read from the
input file.  With the default setting, ALL, all cases in the file are
read.  Specify FIRST @var{max_cases} to read at most @var{max_cases} cases
from the file.  Use @subcmd{PERCENT @var{percent}} to read only @var{percent}
percent, approximately, of the cases contained in the file.  (The
percentage is approximate, because there is no way to accurately count
the number of cases in the file without reading the entire file.  The
number of cases in some kinds of unusual files cannot be estimated;
@pspp{} will read all cases in such files.)

@subcmd{FIRSTCASE} and @subcmd{IMPORTCASE} may be used with delimited and fixed-format
data.  The remaining subcommands, which apply only to one of the two  file
arrangements, are described below.

@menu
* GET DATA /TYPE=TXT /ARRANGEMENT=DELIMITED::
* GET DATA /TYPE=TXT /ARRANGEMENT=FIXED::
@end menu

@node GET DATA /TYPE=TXT /ARRANGEMENT=DELIMITED
@subsubsection Reading Delimited Data

@display
GET DATA /TYPE=TXT
        /FILE=@{'@var{file_name}',@var{file_handle}@}
        [/ARRANGEMENT=@{DELIMITED,FIXED@}]
        [/FIRSTCASE=@{@var{first_case}@}]
        [/IMPORTCASE=@{ALL,FIRST @var{max_cases},PERCENT @var{percent}@}]

        /DELIMITERS="@var{delimiters}"
        [/QUALIFIER="@var{quotes}" [/ESCAPE]]
        [/DELCASE=@{LINE,VARIABLES @var{n_variables}@}]
        /VARIABLES=@var{del_var1} [@var{del_var2}]@dots{}
where each @var{del_var} takes the form:
        variable format
@end display

The GET DATA command with TYPE=TXT and ARRANGEMENT=DELIMITED reads
input data from text files in delimited format, where fields are
separated by a set of user-specified delimiters.  Its capabilities are
similar to those of DATA LIST FREE (@pxref{DATA LIST FREE}), with a
few enhancements.

The required @subcmd{FILE} subcommand and optional @subcmd{FIRSTCASE} and @subcmd{IMPORTCASE}
subcommands are described above (@pxref{GET DATA /TYPE=TXT}).

@subcmd{DELIMITERS}, which is required, specifies the set of characters that
may separate fields.  Each character in the string specified on
@subcmd{DELIMITERS} separates one field from the next.  The end of a line also
separates fields, regardless of @subcmd{DELIMITERS}.  Two consecutive
delimiters in the input yield an empty field, as does a delimiter at
the end of a line.  A space character as a delimiter is an exception:
consecutive spaces do not yield an empty field and neither does any
number of spaces at the end of a line.

To use a tab as a delimiter, specify @samp{\t} at the beginning of the
@subcmd{DELIMITERS} string.  To use a backslash as a delimiter, specify
@samp{\\} as the first delimiter or, if a tab should also be a
delimiter, immediately following @samp{\t}.  To read a data file in
which each field appears on a separate line, specify the empty string
for @subcmd{DELIMITERS}.

The optional @subcmd{QUALIFIER} subcommand names one or more characters that
can be used to quote values within fields in the input.  A field that
begins with one of the specified quote characters ends at the next
matching quote.  Intervening delimiters become part of the field,
instead of terminating it.  The ability to specify more than one quote
character is a @pspp{} extension.

By default, a character specified on @subcmd{QUALIFIER} cannot itself be
embedded within a field that it quotes, because the quote character
always terminates the quoted field.  With ESCAPE, however, a doubled
quote character within a quoted field inserts a single instance of the
quote into the field.  For example, if @samp{'} is specified on
@subcmd{QUALIFIER}, then without ESCAPE @code{'a''b'} specifies a pair of
fields that contain @samp{a} and @samp{b}, but with ESCAPE it
specifies a single field that contains @samp{a'b}.  ESCAPE is a @pspp{}
extension.

The @subcmd{DELCASE} subcommand controls how data may be broken across lines in
the data file.  With LINE, the default setting, each line must contain
all the data for exactly one case.  For additional flexibility, to
allow a single case to be split among lines or multiple cases to be
contained on a single line, specify VARIABLES @i{n_variables}, where
@i{n_variables} is the number of variables per case.

The @subcmd{VARIABLES} subcommand is required and must be the last subcommand.
Specify the name of each variable and its input format (@pxref{Input
and Output Formats}) in the order they should be read from the input
file.

@subsubheading Examples

@noindent
On a Unix-like system, the @samp{/etc/passwd} file has a format
similar to this:

@example
root:$1$nyeSP5gD$pDq/:0:0:,,,:/root:/bin/bash
blp:$1$BrP/pFg4$g7OG:1000:1000:Ben Pfaff,,,:/home/blp:/bin/bash
john:$1$JBuq/Fioq$g4A:1001:1001:John Darrington,,,:/home/john:/bin/bash
jhs:$1$D3li4hPL$88X1:1002:1002:Jason Stover,,,:/home/jhs:/bin/csh
@end example

@noindent
The following syntax reads a file in the format used by
@samp{/etc/passwd}:

@c If you change this example, change the regression test in
@c tests/language/data-io/get-data.at to match.
@example
GET DATA /TYPE=TXT /FILE='/etc/passwd' /DELIMITERS=':'
        /VARIABLES=username A20
                   password A40
                   uid F10
                   gid F10
                   gecos A40
                   home A40
                   shell A40.
@end example

@noindent
Consider the following data on used cars:

@example
model   year    mileage price   type    age
Civic   2002    29883   15900   Si      2
Civic   2003    13415   15900   EX      1
Civic   1992    107000  3800    n/a     12
Accord  2002    26613   17900   EX      1
@end example

@noindent
The following syntax can be used to read the used car data:

@c If you change this example, change the regression test in
@c tests/language/data-io/get-data.at to match.
@example
GET DATA /TYPE=TXT /FILE='cars.data' /DELIMITERS=' ' /FIRSTCASE=2
        /VARIABLES=model A8
                   year F4
                   mileage F6
                   price F5
                   type A4
                   age F2.
@end example

@noindent
Consider the following information on animals in a pet store:

@example
'Pet''s Name', "Age", "Color", "Date Received", "Price", "Height", "Type"
, (Years), , , (Dollars), ,
"Rover", 4.5, Brown, "12 Feb 2004", 80, '1''4"', "Dog"
"Charlie", , Gold, "5 Apr 2007", 12.3, "3""", "Fish"
"Molly", 2, Black, "12 Dec 2006", 25, '5"', "Cat"
"Gilly", , White, "10 Apr 2007", 10, "3""", "Guinea Pig"
@end example

@noindent
The following syntax can be used to read the pet store data:

@c If you change this example, change the regression test in
@c tests/language/data-io/get-data.at to match.
@example
GET DATA /TYPE=TXT /FILE='pets.data' /DELIMITERS=', ' /QUALIFIER='''"' /ESCAPE
        /FIRSTCASE=3
        /VARIABLES=name A10
                   age F3.1
                   color A5
                   received EDATE10
                   price F5.2
                   height a5
                   type a10.
@end example

@node GET DATA /TYPE=TXT /ARRANGEMENT=FIXED
@subsubsection Reading Fixed Columnar Data

@c (modify-syntax-entry ?_ "w")
@c (modify-syntax-entry ?' "'")
@c (modify-syntax-entry ?@ "'")

@display
GET DATA /TYPE=TXT
        /FILE=@{'file_name',@var{file_handle}@}
        [/ARRANGEMENT=@{DELIMITED,FIXED@}]
        [/FIRSTCASE=@{@var{first_case}@}]
        [/IMPORTCASE=@{ALL,FIRST @var{max_cases},PERCENT @var{percent}@}]

        [/FIXCASE=@var{n}]
        /VARIABLES @var{fixed_var} [@var{fixed_var}]@dots{}
            [/rec# @var{fixed_var} [@var{fixed_var}]@dots{}]@dots{}
where each @var{fixed_var} takes the form:
        @var{variable} @var{start}-@var{end} @var{format}
@end display

The @cmd{GET DATA} command with TYPE=TXT and ARRANGEMENT=FIXED reads input
data from text files in fixed format, where each field is located in
particular fixed column positions within records of a case.  Its
capabilities are similar to those of DATA LIST FIXED (@pxref{DATA LIST
FIXED}), with a few enhancements.

The required @subcmd{FILE} subcommand and optional @subcmd{FIRSTCASE} and @subcmd{IMPORTCASE}
subcommands are described above (@pxref{GET DATA /TYPE=TXT}).

The optional @subcmd{FIXCASE} subcommand may be used to specify the positive
integer number of input lines that make up each case.  The default
value is 1.

The @subcmd{VARIABLES} subcommand, which is required, specifies the positions
at which each variable can be found.  For each variable, specify its
name, followed by its start and end column separated by @samp{-}
(e.g.@: @samp{0-9}), followed by an input format type (e.g.@:
@samp{F}) or a full format specification (e.g.@: @samp{DOLLAR12.2}).
For this command, columns are numbered starting from 0 at
the left column.  Introduce the variables in the second and later
lines of a case by a slash followed by the number of the line within
the case, e.g.@: @samp{/2} for the second line.

@subsubheading Examples

@noindent
Consider the following data on used cars:

@example
model   year    mileage price   type    age
Civic   2002    29883   15900   Si      2
Civic   2003    13415   15900   EX      1
Civic   1992    107000  3800    n/a     12
Accord  2002    26613   17900   EX      1
@end example

@noindent
The following syntax can be used to read the used car data:

@c If you change this example, change the regression test in
@c tests/language/data-io/get-data.at to match.
@example
GET DATA /TYPE=TXT /FILE='cars.data' /ARRANGEMENT=FIXED /FIRSTCASE=2
        /VARIABLES=model 0-7 A
                   year 8-15 F
                   mileage 16-23 F
                   price 24-31 F
                   type 32-40 A
                   age 40-47 F.
@end example

@node IMPORT
@section IMPORT
@vindex IMPORT

@display
IMPORT
        /FILE='@var{file_name}'
        /TYPE=@{COMM,TAPE@}
        /DROP=@var{var_list}
        /KEEP=@var{var_list}
        /RENAME=(@var{src_names}=@var{target_names})@dots{}
@end display

The @cmd{IMPORT} transformation clears the active dataset dictionary and
data and
replaces them with a dictionary and data from a system file or
portable file.

The @subcmd{FILE} subcommand, which is the only required subcommand, specifies
the portable file to be read as a file name string or a file handle
(@pxref{File Handles}).

The @subcmd{TYPE} subcommand is currently not used.

@subcmd{DROP}, @subcmd{KEEP}, and @subcmd{RENAME} follow the syntax used by @cmd{GET} (@pxref{GET}).

@cmd{IMPORT} does not cause the data to be read; only the dictionary.  The
data is read later, when a procedure is executed.

Use of @cmd{IMPORT} to read a system file is a @pspp{} extension.

@node SAVE
@section SAVE
@vindex SAVE

@display
SAVE
        /OUTFILE=@{'@var{file_name}',@var{file_handle}@}
        /UNSELECTED=@{RETAIN,DELETE@}
        /@{COMPRESSED,UNCOMPRESSED@}
        /PERMISSIONS=@{WRITEABLE,READONLY@}
        /DROP=@var{var_list}
        /KEEP=@var{var_list}
        /VERSION=@var{version}
        /RENAME=(@var{src_names}=@var{target_names})@dots{}
        /NAMES
        /MAP
@end display

The @cmd{SAVE} procedure causes the dictionary and data in the active
dataset to
be written to a system file.

OUTFILE is the only required subcommand.  Specify the system file
to be written as a string file name or a file handle
(@pxref{File Handles}).

By default, cases excluded with FILTER are written to the system file.
These can be excluded by specifying @subcmd{DELETE} on the @subcmd{UNSELECTED}
subcommand.  Specifying @subcmd{RETAIN} makes the default explicit.

The @subcmd{COMPRESS} and @subcmd{UNCOMPRESS} subcommand determine whether
the saved system file is compressed.  By default, system files are compressed.
This default can be changed with the SET command (@pxref{SET}).

The @subcmd{PERMISSIONS} subcommand specifies permissions for the new system
file.  WRITEABLE, the default, creates the file with read and write
permission.  READONLY creates the file for read-only access.

By default, all the variables in the active dataset dictionary are written
to the system file.  The @subcmd{DROP} subcommand can be used to specify a list
of variables not to be written.  In contrast, KEEP specifies variables
to be written, with all variables not specified not written.

Normally variables are saved to a system file under the same names they
have in the active dataset.  Use the @subcmd{RENAME} subcommand to change these names.
Specify, within parentheses, a list of variable names followed by an
equals sign (@samp{=}) and the names that they should be renamed to.
Multiple parenthesized groups of variable names can be included on a
single @subcmd{RENAME} subcommand.  Variables' names may be swapped using a
@subcmd{RENAME} subcommand of the 
form @subcmd{/RENAME=(@var{A} @var{B}=@var{B} @var{A})}.

Alternate syntax for the @subcmd{RENAME} subcommand allows the parentheses to be
eliminated.  When this is done, only a single variable may be renamed at
once.  For instance, @subcmd{/RENAME=@var{A}=@var{B}}.  This alternate syntax is
deprecated.

@subcmd{DROP}, @subcmd{KEEP}, and @subcmd{RENAME} are performed in
left-to-right order.  They
each may be present any number of times.  @cmd{SAVE} never modifies
the active dataset.  @subcmd{DROP}, @subcmd{KEEP}, and @subcmd{RENAME} only
affect the system file written to disk.

The @subcmd{VERSION} subcommand specifies the version of the file format. Valid
versions are 2 and 3.  The default version is 3.  In version 2 system
files, variable names longer than 8 bytes will be truncated.  The two
versions are otherwise identical.

The @subcmd{NAMES} and @subcmd{MAP} subcommands are currently ignored.

@cmd{SAVE} causes the data to be read.  It is a procedure.

@node SAVE TRANSLATE
@section SAVE TRANSLATE
@vindex SAVE TRANSLATE

@display
SAVE TRANSLATE
        /OUTFILE=@{'@var{file_name}',@var{file_handle}@}
        /TYPE=@{CSV,TAB@}
        [/REPLACE]
        [/MISSING=@{IGNORE,RECODE@}]

        [/DROP=@var{var_list}]
        [/KEEP=@var{var_list}]
        [/RENAME=(@var{src_names}=@var{target_names})@dots{}]
        [/UNSELECTED=@{RETAIN,DELETE@}]
        [/MAP]

        @dots{}additional subcommands depending on TYPE@dots{}
@end display

The @cmd{SAVE TRANSLATE} command is used to save data into various
formats understood by other applications.

The @subcmd{OUTFILE} and @subcmd{TYPE} subcommands are mandatory.
@subcmd{OUTFILE} specifies the file to be written, as a string file name or a file handle
(@pxref{File Handles}).  @subcmd{TYPE} determines the type of the file or
source to read.  It must be one of the following:

@table @asis
@item CSV
Comma-separated value format,

@item TAB
Tab-delimited format.
@end table

By default, @cmd{SAVE TRANSLATE} will not overwrite an existing file.  Use
@subcmd{REPLACE} to force an existing file to be overwritten.

With MISSING=IGNORE, the default, @subcmd{SAVE TRANSLATE} treats user-missing
values as if they were not missing.  Specify MISSING=RECODE to output
numeric user-missing values like system-missing values and string
user-missing values as all spaces.

By default, all the variables in the active dataset dictionary are saved
to the system file, but @subcmd{DROP} or @subcmd{KEEP} can select a subset of variable
to save.  The @subcmd{RENAME} subcommand can also be used to change the names
under which variables are saved.  @subcmd{UNSELECTED} determines whether cases
filtered out by the @cmd{FILTER} command are written to the output file.
These subcommands have the same syntax and meaning as on the
@cmd{SAVE} command (@pxref{SAVE}).

Each supported file type has additional subcommands, explained in
separate sections below.

@cmd{SAVE TRANSLATE} causes the data to be read.  It is a procedure.

@menu
* SAVE TRANSLATE /TYPE=CSV and TYPE=TAB::
@end menu

@node SAVE TRANSLATE /TYPE=CSV and TYPE=TAB
@subsection Writing Comma- and Tab-Separated Data Files

@display
SAVE TRANSLATE
        /OUTFILE=@{'@var{file_name}',@var{file_handle}@}
        /TYPE=CSV
        [/REPLACE]
        [/MISSING=@{IGNORE,RECODE@}]

        [/DROP=@var{var_list}]
        [/KEEP=@var{var_list}]
        [/RENAME=(@var{src_names}=@var{target_names})@dots{}]
        [/UNSELECTED=@{RETAIN,DELETE@}]

        [/FIELDNAMES]
        [/CELLS=@{VALUES,LABELS@}]
        [/TEXTOPTIONS DELIMITER='@var{delimiter}']
        [/TEXTOPTIONS QUALIFIER='@var{qualifier}']
        [/TEXTOPTIONS DECIMAL=@{DOT,COMMA@}]
        [/TEXTOPTIONS FORMAT=@{PLAIN,VARIABLE@}]
@end display

The SAVE TRANSLATE command with TYPE=CSV or TYPE=TAB writes data in a
comma- or tab-separated value format similar to that described by
RFC@tie{}4180.  Each variable becomes one output column, and each case
becomes one line of output.  If FIELDNAMES is specified, an additional
line at the top of the output file lists variable names.

The CELLS and TEXTOPTIONS FORMAT settings determine how values are
written to the output file:

@table @asis
@item CELLS=VALUES FORMAT=PLAIN (the default settings)
Writes variables to the output in ``plain'' formats that ignore the
details of variable formats.  Numeric values are written as plain
decimal numbers with enough digits to indicate their exact values in
machine representation.  Numeric values include @samp{e} followed by
an exponent if the exponent value would be less than -4 or greater
than 16.  Dates are written in MM/DD/YYYY format and times in HH:MM:SS
format.  WKDAY and MONTH values are written as decimal numbers.

Numeric values use, by default, the decimal point character set with
SET DECIMAL (@pxref{SET DECIMAL}).  Use DECIMAL=DOT or DECIMAL=COMMA
to force a particular decimal point character.

@item CELLS=VALUES FORMAT=VARIABLE
Writes variables using their print formats.  Leading and trailing
spaces are removed from numeric values, and trailing spaces are
removed from string values.

@item CELLS=LABEL FORMAT=PLAIN
@itemx CELLS=LABEL FORMAT=VARIABLE
Writes value labels where they exist, and otherwise writes the values
themselves as described above.
@end table

Regardless of CELLS and TEXTOPTIONS FORMAT, numeric system-missing
values are output as a single space.

For TYPE=TAB, tab characters delimit values.  For TYPE=CSV, the
TEXTOPTIONS DELIMITER and DECIMAL settings determine the character
that separate values within a line.  If DELIMITER is specified, then
the specified string separate values.  If DELIMITER is not specified,
then the default is a comma with DECIMAL=DOT or a semicolon with
DECIMAL=COMMA.  If DECIMAL is not given either, it is implied by the
decimal point character set with SET DECIMAL (@pxref{SET DECIMAL}).

The TEXTOPTIONS QUALIFIER setting specifies a character that is output
before and after a value that contains the delimiter character or the
qualifier character.  The default is a double quote (@samp{@@}).  A
qualifier character that appears within a value is doubled.

@node SYSFILE INFO
@section SYSFILE INFO
@vindex SYSFILE INFO

@display 
SYSFILE INFO FILE='@var{file_name}'.
@end display

@cmd{SYSFILE INFO} reads the dictionary in a system file and
displays the information in its dictionary.

Specify a file name or file handle.  @cmd{SYSFILE INFO} reads that file as
a system file and displays information on its dictionary.

@cmd{SYSFILE INFO} does not affect the current active dataset.

@node XEXPORT
@section XEXPORT
@vindex XEXPORT

@display
XEXPORT
        /OUTFILE='@var{file_name}'
        /DIGITS=@var{n}
        /DROP=@var{var_list}
        /KEEP=@var{var_list}
        /RENAME=(@var{src_names}=@var{target_names})@dots{}
        /TYPE=@{COMM,TAPE@}
        /MAP
@end display

The @cmd{EXPORT} transformation writes the active dataset dictionary and
data to a specified portable file.

This transformation is a @pspp{} extension.

It is similar to the @cmd{EXPORT} procedure, with two differences:

@itemize
@item
@cmd{XEXPORT} is a transformation, not a procedure.  It is executed when
the data is read by a procedure or procedure-like command.

@item
@cmd{XEXPORT} does not support the @subcmd{UNSELECTED} subcommand.
@end itemize

@xref{EXPORT}, for more information.

@node XSAVE
@section XSAVE
@vindex XSAVE

@display
XSAVE
        /OUTFILE='@var{file_name}'
        /@{COMPRESSED,UNCOMPRESSED@}
        /PERMISSIONS=@{WRITEABLE,READONLY@}
        /DROP=@var{var_list}
        /KEEP=@var{var_list}
        /VERSION=@var{version}
        /RENAME=(@var{src_names}=@var{target_names})@dots{}
        /NAMES
        /MAP
@end display

The @cmd{XSAVE} transformation writes the active dataset's dictionary and
data to a system file.  It is similar to the @cmd{SAVE}
procedure, with two differences:

@itemize
@item
@cmd{XSAVE} is a transformation, not a procedure.  It is executed when
the data is read by a procedure or procedure-like command.

@item
@cmd{XSAVE} does not support the @subcmd{UNSELECTED} subcommand.
@end itemize

@xref{SAVE}, for more information.