SPSS® 12.0 Command Syntax Reference

MATRIX—END MATRIX 949
• A matrix named SCORES is read from the working data file.
• The variables TEST1, TEST2, and TEST3 form the columns of the matrix, while the cases in
the working file form the rows.
• A vector named VARNAMES, whose three elements contain the variable names TEST1,
TEST2, and TEST3, is created.
• User-missing values defined in the working data file are accepted into the matrix SCORES.
• System-missing values in the working data file are converted to the value –
1 in the matrix
SCORES.
SAVE Statement: Writing SPSS Data Files
SAVE writes matrices to an SPSS data file or to the current working data file. The rows of the
matrix expression become cases, and the columns become variables. The syntax of the SAVE
statement is as follows:
SAVE matrix expression
[/OUTFILE = {file reference}]
{* }
[/VARIABLES = variable list]
[/NAMES = names vector]
[/STRINGS = variable list]
Matrix Expression Specification
The matrix expression following the keyword SAVE is any matrix language expression that
evaluates to the value(s) to be written to an SPSS data file.
• The matrix specification must precede any other specifications on the SAVE statement.
• You can specify a matrix name, a matrix raised to a power, or a matrix function (with its
arguments in parentheses) by itself, but you must enclose other matrix expressions in
parentheses. For example, SAVE A, SAVE INV(A), or SAVE B**DET(T(C)*D) is
legal, but SAVE A+B is not. You must specify SAVE (A+B).
• Constant expressions are allowed.
OUTFILE Specification
OUTFILE designates the file to which the matrix expression is to be written. It can be an actual
filename in apostrophes or quotation marks, or a file handle defined on a FILE HANDLE
command that precedes the matrix program. The filename or handle must be a valid file
specification.
• To save a matrix expression as the working data file, specify an asterisk (*). If there is no
working data file, one will be created; if there is one, it is replaced by the saved matrices.
• The OUTFILE specification is required on the first SAVE statement in a matrix program (first
in order of appearance, not necessarily in order of execution). If you omit the OUTFILE specification
from a later SAVE statement, the statement uses the most recently named file (in
order of appearance) on a SAVE statement in the same matrix program.