SPSS 11.0.4

By: Scott Doenges - Revised: 2006-06-06 devin

SPSS Iconhttp://www.spss.com/spss_mac/
  • SPSS 11.0.4 uses absolute paths for settings used by the application like "Statistics Coach" which is defined in a plist file with the absolute path:

    <volume>:Applications:SPSS 11:Statistics Coach:MacStart.htm

    The paths are stored in two files, one located in the user space:

    ~/Library/Preferences/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X/com.spss.SPSS 11.plist

    The other located in the application package:

    Contents/Resources/com.spss.SPSS 11.plist
     
  • You will run into issues with SPSS, if you have changed applications default location or renamed the application, like if you use KeyServer and use the § to denote keyed applications.

    The following lines need to be changed in the user space plist file:
    ~/Library/Preferences/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X/com.spss.SPSS 11.plist
     
    • Line 1262: <string>Mac OS X:ApplicationsSPSS 11SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.appContentsResourcesspsswin.hlp#1</string>
    • Line 1483: <string>Mac OS X:ApplicationsSPSS 11SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.appContentsResources</string>
    • Line 1759: <string>"Mac OS X:ApplicationsSPSS 11Statistics CoachMacStart.htm"</string>
       
    And lines in applications package plist file:
    Contents/Resources/com.spss.SPSS 11.plist
     
    • Line 172: <string>Mac OS X:ApplicationsSPSS 11SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.appContentsResourcesspsswin.hlp#1</string>
    • Line 367: <string>Mac OS X:ApplicationsSPSS 11SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.appContentsResources</string>
    • Line 643: <string>"Mac OS X:ApplicationsSPSS 11Statistics CoachMacStart.htm"</string>
    • Line 946: <string>Mac OS X:ApplicationsSPSS 11SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.appContentsResources</string>
    • Line 950: <string>Mac OS X:ApplicationsSPSS 11SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.appContentsResources</string>
    • Line 954: <string>Mac OS X:ApplicationsSPSS 11SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.appContentsResources</string>
    • Line 960: <string>Mac OS X:ApplicationsSPSS 11SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.appContentsResourcesDREGEDIT.DAT</string>
    • Line 1279: <string>Mac OS X:ApplicationsSPSS 11SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.appContentsResources</string>
    • Line 1313: <string>Mac OS X:ApplicationsSPSS 11SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.appContentsResources</string>
    • Line 1371: <string>Mac OS X:ApplicationsSPSS 11SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.appContentsResources</string>
       
    For example we renamed the application SPSS 11.0.4 and moved inside a folders called /General/Math & Statistics. So, we changed the about absolute paths to match our setup.
     
  • If you edit any of these lines in the plist file inside the application package, it will display the following error message:
    Cannot launch SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.

    SPSS 11 for Mac OS X cannot be launched because an internal error has occured. Remove SPSS 11 Prefernces folder and try to launch the application again. If it does not help, you should reinstall SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.
     
  • If you edit the user space plist file, it will get reset after SPSS 11.0.4 is launched. So, if you move or rename SPSS 11.04 from it default install location it will display error for items like the Statistics Coach:
    SPSS Statistics Coach Error

    Also, locking the file via Finder or removing write permissions. Does fix the sitution because SPSS 11.0.4 will use the plist inside the application package instead.
     
  • A workaound this issue is creating symlink from your custom folder location to SPSS default paths location using the ln (make links) commmand like:

SPSS Statistics Coach Error
Also, locking the file via Finder or removing write permissions. Does fix the sitution because SPSS 11.0.4 will use the plist inside the application package instead.

A workaound this issue is creating symlink from your custom folder location to SPSS default paths location using the ln (make links) commmand like:

ln -s /path/to/spss_folder/location /Applications/SPSS 11

Also, if you moved SPSS 11.0.4 to a custom location, you probably don't want a symlink (i.e. SPSS 11) appearing to the user in Finder at the root of the Applications folder. To fix this you can simple make the symlink invisible, either using SetFile command which is part of the Apple Developer tools, modifying the .hidden file, or use GUI utilities like File Buddy. 
  • Next, the Help ⇒ Statistics Coach uses html that uses pop-ups. So, if your browser window is empty when using the Statistics Coach, you probably have pop-up blocking enabled in your browser and might need to disable blocking pop-ups to view Statistics Coach help.

Safari Menu with Block Pop-Up Windows Highlighted
  • The following files are installed outside user space with write permissions for others. These permissions are a security risk especially in a lab environment and can be modified without any known issues:

    Files with permissions 0777

/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics/anacsyn
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics/catpca
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics/catpcasyn
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics/catpop
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics/catreg
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics/catrgsyn
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics/corres
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics/corssyn
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics/homals
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics/homalsyn
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics/intro
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics/nohelp
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics/overals
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics/overlsyn
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics/princsyn
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics/proxscal
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics/proxsyn
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/Topics/range
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spsscat/gfx_common
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spssdbca
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spssdbca/Topics
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spssdbca/Topics/dbassist
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spssdbca/gfx_common
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/htmlfram.txt
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS Production Facility.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/production_facility.nib
/Library/Preferences/IVMF.LIC
/Library/Receipts/SPSS 11 Installer Log File

Files with permissions 0767

/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/alerts/spssadv_alert.htm
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/alerts/spsscat_alert.htm
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/alerts/spssconj_alert.htm
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/alerts/spssmva_alert.htm
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/alerts/spsspro_alert.htm
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/alerts/spsstbcb_alert.htm
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/alerts/spsstrnd_alert.htm
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/alerts/tutor_alert.htm
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spssmac/Topics/help/getting_help.htm
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spssmac/Topics/help/getting_help_contents_tab.htm
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spssmac/Topics/help/getting_help_dialog_control.htm
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spssmac/Topics/unianova/idh_glmu_sav.htm
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spssnewg/Topics/IGallery/chart_gallery_overall.htm
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/SPSS Help/spssout/HelpData

Files with permissions 0666

/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 AppleScript Support
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/en_US.lproj/spssmac-en_US-X.res
/Applications/SPSS 11/SPSS 11 for Mac OS X.app/Contents/Resources/spssmac-X.mapp