Primer on SPSS - Analysis of Variance Designs - page 502

but they also have “extensions.” These extensions take the form of period-
letter-letter-letter . The three letters after the period identify the type of
file or document it is. The following is a list of some of the different kinds
of files and their extensions that you may be working with in the context
of processing the results of a research study using SPSS:
.doc : a file saved in Microsoft Word format (SPSS does not open
these types of files).
.xls : a file saved in Microsoft Excel format (SPSS can import data
contained in these files).
.txt : a text-only file containing only alphanumeric characters (SPSS
can import data contained in these files).
.sav : a saved SPSS data file (contains data and some information
about the variables in the data file; such files are unique to SPSS).
.spo : a saved SPSS output file (the results of your analysis are con-
tained in such files; such files are unique to SPSS).
.sps : a saved SPSS syntax file (text structured in specific ways that
instructs SPSS to transform or analyze the data; such files are unique
to SPSS).
.pdf : a file saved as a portable document format; such documents
are faithful mirrors of their originals, including pictures and fonts.
Especially when you are looking at SPSS files, it is very important that
you can see these extensions. The reason for this is that you may be using
the same regular name for data, output, and even syntax files (if you use
them). For example, the way you tell the files apart from your study of
self-esteem (e.g., esteem.sav , esteem.spo ,and esteem.sps ) is to note their
file extensions.
Depending on the settings on your computer, you may or may not be
able to see these file extensions. To make sure that these file extensions
are visible, you should do the following. In Windows, set your preferences
to show the extensions on your files using this route: My Computer ➜
Tools ➜ Folder Options ➜ View ➜ Hidden files and folders ➜ Hide
extensions for known files .Makesurethatthe Hide extensions checkbox
is not checked (the default is the checkmark, which suppresses displaying
the extensions). On a Mac, just check Append file extension on the Save
As dialog box every time you save a file (it is usually the default). In either
platform, you will now be able to determine in your navigation what type
of file you are intending to select.
A.3 OPENING SPSS
SPSS is ordinarily stored in a folder on the primary internal drive of your
computer.InWindows,itshouldbefoundinthe Program Files folder;
onaMac,itshouldbestoredinthe Applications folder. Clicking on its
icon will open the application. It is very convenient to place a shortcut (as
it is called in Windows) or an alias (Mac terminology) for SPSS on your