Hello, I recently installed SPSS 26 on my MAC and have been unable to merge data. The program stalls for an hour or longer and then gives an error message and then closes, failing to merge or save any data. Has anyone encountered this, and, if so, what is the solution to this issue?

Hi Support Member​ 

A lot will depend upon the kind of merge you are talking about. Can you show us the error message you are getting? Can you show us the Command Syntax (e.,g. MATCH FILES command) being generated and some idea of the files involved (e.g. number of records in each file, are these records unique by the key variables? How many key variables? Are there other variables that overlap both files? Are these other variables and the key variables defined the same way in both files?)

Support Member​ 

Thank you for your response. I am using the drop-down menu to issue the command and am using a single key variable to merge in order to add variables to a dataset. I have tried it using a dataset that is currently open as well as a dataset that is not open. The datafiles have approximately 500-1000 variables and approximately 140 cases.

Thank you for your response. I am using the drop-down menu to issue the command and am using a single key variable to merge in order to add variables to a dataset. I have tried it using a dataset that is currently open as well as a dataset that is not open. The datafiles have approximately 500-1000 variables and approximately 140 cases.

Thank you for your response. I am using the drop-down menu to issue the command and am using a single key variable to merge in order to add variables to a dataset. I have tried it using a dataset that is currently open as well as a dataset that is not open. The datafiles have approximately 500-1000 variables and approximately 140 cases.

Hi David, I was wondering if you saw my response.

Support Member​  Yes, I saw your response. But you really haven't addressed any of my questions. In order to merge SPSS data files, you will need to understand the structure of the data files you are merging and the requirements of each kind of merge you are trying to do. It may turn out that your existing files and structure don't really match any of the scenarios in the Merge Files dialog and you will have to re-structure them to accomplish the desired merge.

Please see

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSLVMB_27.0.0/statistics_mainhelp_ddita/spss/base/idh_addv_main.html

If this requires more in-depth back and forth for your specific situation, please open a Support case:

https://www.ibm.com/mysupport/s/?language=en_US

I hope this helps!

Support Member​ 

With all due respect, I have been an SPSS user for 18 years and I am certain that the kinds of merging I am attempting are possible. I have never had issues merging datasets before. Further, I accomplished the merges I was unable to do using my own version of SPSS (which fails/shuts down every time I try to merge) by sending them to my Ph.D. students and having them merge the files (following the precise instructions I gave them) and having them send them back to me. It is not my instructions or methods of merging that are faulty; it is the way this version of SPSS is interacting with my computer. Some relevant context is that I recently got a new computer and also recently installed SPSS 26. I did not have these issues with my prior laptop nor my prior version of SPSS.