Re: PSPP-BUG: Failure to handle an antique SPSS file containing umlauts in variable names

[Ben Pfaff]

On Thu, Jan 23, 2014 at 05:26:59PM +0000, M?ller, Andre wrote:
> I stumbled over a rather esoteric problem when dealing with an ooold sav file.
> (Actually, I am led to believe the file was written when the archive migrated 
> off it's mainframe...)
> 
> The export with pspp-0.8.1 fails like this:
> error: `source.sav' near offset 0x608: Invalid variable name `V_P?NKT'.
> 
> SavConversion/pspp-export.syntax:2: error: Stopping syntax file processing 
> here
> to avoid a cascade of dependent command failures.
> 
> The variable name actually is "V_P?NKT", and there are more Umlauts to come.
> Trying to write a testcase, I found:
> - When I create a file in UNICODE locale, all is well with the export.
> - When I create a file in localcode locate, the export misinterprets the 
> umlauts, but otherwise does the job.
> - When, using SPSS, I save a copy of the offending file, that file gets 
> handled properly.
> - Just when using the old file as is, the export fails as described above.
> 
> So, there is an easy workaround for this problem, and it really only concerns 
> a way old .sav file version.
> In other words, this is not too important and it may well not be worth the 
> effort of fixing this.
> 
> But I let you decide :-)
> I will open a proper bug for this on request.
> 
> Due to licensing restrictions, I cannot provide a copy of the file,
> but you can get it here: 
> 
> https://dbk.gesis.org/dbksearch/download.asp?db=E&id=40582

I apologize for the long delay, but I have now started to look at this.
I signed up and downloaded the file at this URL, which is named
ZA2409.sav.  PSPP reads it OK.  It does not contain a variable name
V_P?NKT.  So, I wonder whether this is the correct file?

Thanks,

Ben.