In SPSS, is it possible to export a dataset file to .CSV with the value names instead of the value numbers?

Question

In my SPSS file, I have a variable called \"X\". It has four values: 1=\"dog\", 2=\"cat\", 3=\"hyena\", 4=\"parrot\".

If I export my data to a .CSV file, here\'s what it

Answer 1

The other answers relate to the GUI, but some people prefer using the syntax editor. If you fall into that category, from the programming perspective, you can do something like:

SAVE TRANSLATE OUTFILE='path\to\file.csv'
  /TYPE=CSV
  /MAP
  /REPLACE
  /FIELDNAMES
  /CELLS=LABELS.

Notice the last line, /CELLS=LABELS. -- If you wanted the values instead, you can change it to (surprise!) /CELLS=VALUES.

Answer 2

Yes, it is possible (at least in SPSS 20). In File Menu, choose, "Save As...", in the drop down menu in the dialog box that opens choose "Save as type: 'Comma delimited (*.csv)')", and underneath that select "Save value labels where defined instead of data values" (or hit "Alt-a") and choose "Save".

Answer 3

In my version of SPSS (17), the save window has a checkbox for "Save value labels where defined instead of data values", which will save the accompanying labels rather than numerical values.