SYNOPSIS

pspp-convert [options] input output
pspp-convert --help | -h
pspp-convert --version | -v

DESCRIPTION

The pspp-convert program reads input, which may be an SPSS system file, an SPSS/PC+ system file, or an SPSS portable file, and writes it to output, performing format conversion as necessary.

The format of input is automatically detected, when possible. The character encoding of old SPSS system files cannot always be guessed correctly, and SPSS/PC+ system files do not include any indication of their encoding. Use -e encoding to specify the encoding in this case.

By default, the intended format for output is inferred from its extension:

csv

txt

Comma-separated value. Each value is formatted according to its variable's print format. The first line in the file contains variable names.

sav

sys

SPSS system file.

por

SPSS portable file.

Use -O extension to override the inferred format or to specify the format for unrecognized extensions.

pspp-convert can convert most input formats to most output formats, with one exception: if the input file is an encrypted system file, then the output file must also be an (unencrypted) system file.

OPTIONS

-O format

--output-format=format

Specifies the desired output format. format must be one of the extensions listed above, e.g. -O csv requests comma-separated value output.

-c maxcases

--cases=maxcases

By default, all cases are copied from input to output. Specifying this option to limit the number of cases written to output to maxcases.

-e charset

--encoding=charset

Overrides the encoding in which character strings in input are interpreted. This option is necessary because old SPSS system files do not self-identify their encoding.

-p password

--password=password

Specifies the password to use to decrypt an encrypted SPSS system file input. If this option is not specified, pspp-convert prompts for the password.

On multiuser systems, this option may not be safe because other users may be able to see the password in process listings.

-h

--help

Prints a usage message on stdout and exits.

-v

--version

Prints version information on stdout and exits.

AUTHORS

Ben Pfaff.