String data will be saved as numeric in SPSS (case 10109)

[jarvis24]

[edited from support email]

We are getting a message in our new Media lab applications that data items are "string" but will be saved as numeric in SPSS... These are usually scale responses that we checked as NOT writing as text. Did we do this backwards?

[jarvis24]

This can happen if the SPSS data file was initially generated before the time at which you switched the data format from string to numeric. It will still be expecting string (text) format in such cases. Try clearing your data folder--this will get MediaLab to create fresh data files that follow your current formatting desires. But see also:

http://empirisoft.com/support/showthread.php?t=201

[ljubica]

Hi,
I am getting the same message for what seems to be a fairly random subset of variables specified in the same way. I tried deleting the data as suggested and then running through the experiment with the control+ arrow key to proceed and still this error crops up. I even tested the files on a different computer. The data is written in separate text files. The file type is essay and I tried both with write as text and without and no luck. I am running the 2008 version of Medialab on an IMac running windows using bootcamp partition. Please help.

Thanks,
Ljubica

[jason_reed]

If the issue is that the responses from participants for any essay item types is stored in a text file separate from the other items in your MediaLab questionnaire files, then there is no malfunction with MediaLab. MediaLab stores responses to essay items in separate text files by design. Are you seeing this message about the data items being saved as numeric in SPSS for any items that are NOT essay?