Actually, i think i just got it figured out. I did only have one variable that had decimal places. The problem was variables that were only 1 character wide. Instead of putting just the position (like "23") you have to put 23-23.
Thanks for the help!
Here's how my new code looks:
GET DATA /TYPE = TXT
/FILE = 'c:\1\nat2021usAllCnty.txt'
/FIXCASE = 1
/ARRANGEMENT = FIXED
/FIRSTCASE = 1
/IMPORTCASE = ALL
/VARIABLES =
/
Fill1 1-8 A8
DOB_YY 9-12 F4
DOBMM 13-14 A2
Fill2 15-18 A4
DOB_TT 19-22 TIME5
DOBWK 23-23 F1
OSTATE 24-25 A2
XOSTATE 26-27 A2
OCNTYFIPS 28-30 A3
OCNTYPOP 31-31 F1
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jeanelle sheeder
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Original Message:
Sent: Fri September 29, 2023 05:31 PM
From: David Dwyer
Subject: Problem reading a long non-delimited text file
Hi @jeanelle sheeder
Start by reviewing the GET DATA command syntax, specifically the /TYPE=TXT options.
If you want to specify the start-end columns, use this syntax structure
If you want to specify only the format, use this syntax structure
Generally speaking, your text data likely does not correspond to the way you have it specified. For instance, the error message references values with decimals. Yet your GET DATA command defines no fields that include decimals. Should it?
------------------------------
David Dwyer
SPSS Technical Support
IBM Software
Original Message:
Sent: Fri September 29, 2023 12:22 PM
From: jeanelle sheeder
Subject: Problem reading a long non-delimited text file
I'm trying to read in a long text file (non-delimited with fixed column widths. I keep getting the error:
>Error. Command name: GET DATA
>(2265) Unrecognized or invalid variable format. The format is invalid.
>For numeric formats, the width or decimals value may be invalid.
>Variable:
>Execution of this command stops.
Unfortunately it doesn't give me a line number for the offending variable. The syntax is very long so attached as a word doc.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
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jeanelle sheeder
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