SPSS Statistics

Since the release of the IBM SPSS Statistics Interim Fixes for  macOS 14.0 (Sonoma) there have been myriad posts in the SPSS Statistics Community about users having trouble applying the fix.

To review:

• macOS 14.0 (Sonoma) was never a tested, supported platform for IBM SPSS Statistics.
• The program installs successfully
• The program license correctly
• Program does not launch
  • You see the splash screen
  • If you click the splash screen, you see the Server Login page has been opened behind it
  • You can never escape the Server Login page
  • If you Cancel, the program gracefully exits.

Here is a video demonstrating the failure.

Hopefully in this blog I can lay out a standard, replicable path to success for everyone.

Note:  The following steps and recommendations all assume that you are logged into your macOS 14.x (Sonoma) computer under a local administrator profile.  If this is not true, please create such a profile and log in under it.  If you are not able to do so, please work with your local IT staff to accomplish this task.

Since I really have no idea of the history of your installation, I'd suggest a clean reinstall using the SPSS Statistics 29.0.1.1 Fixpack.  The link you want will be at the very bottom of the page and labeled "FC".

Steps:

• Completely purge your system of IBM SPSS Statistics using this Technote
• Perform a fresh install of Statistics 29.0.1.1 using the Fixpack above.
• Download the 29.0.1.1-IM-S29STATC-MAC-IF001 interim fix
• Unzip the interim fix and follow the ReadMe.txt inside

The interim fix contains a new 'libplatdep.dylib' file.  Your task will be to find the old file under the SPSS Statistics application bundle, and replace it with this new file.

• Right click (or "control+click" or tap two fingers on the Trackpad ) the SPSS Statistics.app bundle and select "Show package contents"

• Drill into the Contents and lib folders to find the 'libplatdep.dylib' file.

• Open a new Finder window and go to the folder created when you extracted the Interim Fix Zip file.

• Copy the 'libplatdep.dylib' file from the Interim Fix Folder to the "SPSS Statistics.app/Contents/lib" folder you saw previously.  When asked, you want to Replace the file already there. **

• Launch Statistics .

** Some may take issue with the step to move the new file directly into the install path and replacing the old file.  That file wasn't working for you anyway.  There is no advantage to keeping it.

Here is a video demonstrating the process above.

Hopefully these steps have resolved your issue.