Millisecond Forums

I am at a loss and I am hoping someone can help me.  Back in 2003 I wrote a version of the implicit association test and I was successful analyzing  d scores with the SPSS syntax file I downloaded for the University of Washington.  Since then , our Inqusit program has since been upgraded to version 3 (I do understand that the current version is 5  but the IAT still works) .  The problem is using the D_biep syntax (upgraded on the University of waking on site, I believe in 2007) I cannot get the SPSS syntax to read the data.  Right after the syntax command  GET TRANSLATE FILE = 'HispIAT.dat /TYPE=TAB /MAP / FIELDNAMES .  , I get the error message "SPSS Statistics couldn't open the specified file".  I have tried a number of things, such as running the original syntax file, but to no avail. Can anyone help?  I just need the D_biep scores. 

Thanks

Current versions of SPSS will require you to provide the _full path_ to any data files you wish to read and write:
https://www.millisecond.com/forums/FindPost22045.aspx
Note that this is due to changes in how SPSS works, not due to changes in Inquisit.

Hope this helps!

Thank you, I will try the complete paths.  However, I have one question first.  When I clicked on the link explaining about full paths it seems that not only is the suggestion to use the full path but also the name of the data file changed from "Data_Analysis.dat"  to "MergedData.dat"  I am confused by this.  Is this necessary or a typo?  

It's not a typo, because that is the name of the file at issue in the linked thread. You need to enter the name of _your_ data file.

I tried using full paths and I still get an error message that SPSS cannot read the data.  I have attached my SPSS syntax file and the SPSS output and I am hoping you can tell me where I have gone wrong.  I am at a loss.

You seem to have extraneous whitespace in various of your commands.

GET TRANSLATE FILE = 'C: \Users\Social Lab\Desktop\Weyant 2017\HispIAT.dat'

There should be no space after 'C:', i.e. it ought to be 'C:\Users\...', not 'C: \Users\...'

Thank you.  I will take the spaces out and give it a whirl.

Dave,
Following your suggestion, I took out spaces in the syntax file where it seemed to make sense to do so (copy attached) and got fewer errors in the SPSS output than before I (see attached SPSS output file), still I have not gotten usable output.  It seems the problem is with the DESCRIPTIVES ALL command, but I do not know which one because that command is in multiple lines of the SPSS syntax file (lines 45, 135, and 149). Can (will) you help me get workable output.  I just need a D_biep score for each subject.  
Thank you, 
Jim

> [I] got fewer errors in the SPSS output than before I (see attached SPSS output file)

What you attached is not an SPSS output file. It's the syntax file. It does not contain any error messages.

> It seems the problem is with the DESCRIPTIVES ALL command, but I do not know which one
> because that command is in multiple lines of the SPSS syntax file (lines 45, 135, and 149).

The SPSS output (which you did not attach) will _tell_ you which line(s) a given error pertains to. Study where the error(s) occur(s) and go from there.