SPSS Programming and Data Management, 4th Edition: A Guide for ...

7Best Practices and Efficiency TipsNote: For compatibility with other modes of command execution (including commandfiles run with INSERT or INCLUDE commands in an interactive session), each line ofcommand syntax should not exceed 256 bytes.Batch RulesThe following rules apply to command specifications in batch or production mode:• All commands in the command file must begin in column 1. You can use plus(+) or minus (–) signs in the first column if you want to indent the commandspecification to make the command file more readable.• If multiple lines are used for a command, column 1 of each continuation line mustbe blank.• Command terminators are optional.• A line cannot exceed 256 bytes; any additional characters are truncated.Customizing the Programming EnvironmentThere are a few global settings and customization features that may make working withcommand syntax a little easier.Displaying Commands in the LogBy default, commands that have been run are not displayed in the log, which canmake it difficult to interpret error messages. To display commands in the log, usethe command:SET PRINTBACK = ON.Or, using the graphical user interface:EEEFrom the menus, choose:EditOptions...Click the Viewer tab.Select (check) Display commands in the log.