User Guide

298
Chapter 12
Syntax Rules
Keep in mind
the following simple rules when editing and writing command syntax:
 Each comman
d must begin on a new line and end with a period (.).
 Most subcom
mands are separated by slashes (/). The slash before the first
subcommand on a command is usually optional.
 Variable names must be spelled out fully.
 Text included within apostrophes or quotation marks must be contained on a
single line.
 Each line of command syntax cannot exceed 80 characters.
 A period (.) must be used to indicate decimals, regardless of your Windows
regional se
ttings.
 Var ia bl e n
ames ending in a period can cause errors in commands created by
the dialog boxes. You cannot create such variable names in the dialog boxes,
and you should generally avoid them.
Command syntax is case insensitive, and three- or four-letter abbreviations can be
used for many command specifications. You can use as many lines as you want to
specify a s
ingle command. You can add space or break lines at almost any point
where a single blank is allowed, such as around slashes, parentheses, arithmetic
operators, or between variable names. For example,
FREQUENCIES
VA RIAB LES=JOBCAT GENDER
/PERCENTI
LES=25 50 75
/BARCHART.
and
freq var=jobcat gender /percent=25 50 75 /bar.
are both acceptable alternatives that generate the same results.