Here is a summary of all the options, grouped by type, followed by explanations in the same order.
In the table, arguments to long options also apply to any corresponding short options.
syntax-file
-o, --output=output-file
-O option=value
-O format=format
-O device={terminal|listing}
--no-output
--table-look=file
-e, --error-file=error-file
-I, --include=dir
-I-, --no-include
-b, --batch
-i, --interactive
-r, --no-statrc
-a, --algorithm={compatible|enhanced}
-x, --syntax={compatible|enhanced}
--syntax-encoding=encoding
-h, --help -V, --version
-s, --safer --testing-mode
Read and execute the named syntax file. If no syntax files are specified, PSPP prompts for commands. If any syntax files are specified, PSPP by default exits after it runs them, but you may make it prompt for commands by specifying ‘-’ as an additional syntax file.
Write output to output-file. PSPP has several different output drivers that support output in various formats (use --help to list the available formats). Specify this option more than once to produce multiple output files, presumably in different formats.
Use ‘-’ as output-file to write output to standard output.
If no -o option is used, then PSPP writes text and CSV output to standard output and other kinds of output to whose name is based on the format, e.g. pspp.pdf for PDF output.
Sets an option for the output file configured by a preceding -o. Most options are specific to particular output formats. A few options that apply generically are listed below.
PSPP uses the extension of the file name given on -o to select an output format. Use this option to override this choice by specifying an alternate format, e.g. -o pspp.out -O format=html to write HTML to a file named pspp.out. Use --help to list the available formats.
Sets whether PSPP considers the output device configured by the preceding -o to be a terminal or a listing device. This affects what output will be sent to the device, as configured by the SET command’s output routing subcommands (see SET). By default, output written to standard output is considered a terminal device and other output is considered a listing device.
Disables output entirely, if neither -o nor -O is also used. If one of those options is used, --no-output has no effect.
Reads a table style from file and applies it to all PSPP table output. The file should be a TableLook .stt or .tlo file. PSPP searches for file in the current directory, then in .pspp/looks in the user’s home directory, then in a looks subdirectory inside PSPP’s data directory (usually /usr/local/share/pspp). If PSPP cannot find file under the given name, it also tries adding a .stt extension.
When this option is not specified, PSPP looks for default.stt using the algorithm above, and otherwise it falls back to a default built-in style.
Using SET TLOOK in PSPP syntax overrides the style set on
the command line (see SET).
Configures a file to receive PSPP error, warning, and note messages in plain text format. Use ‘-’ as error-file to write messages to standard output. The default error file is standard output in the absence of these options, but this is suppressed if an output device writes to standard output (or another terminal), to avoid printing every message twice. Use ‘none’ as error-file to explicitly suppress the default.
Appends dir to the set of directories searched by the INCLUDE
(see INCLUDE) and INSERT (see INSERT) commands.
Clears all directories from the include path, including directories inserted in the include path by default. The default include path is . (the current directory), followed by .pspp in the user’s home directory, followed by PSPP’s system configuration directory (usually /etc/pspp or /usr/local/etc/pspp).
These options forces syntax files to be interpreted in batch mode or interactive mode, respectively, rather than the default “auto” mode. See Syntax Variants, for a description of the differences.
By default, at startup PSPP searches for a file named rc in the include path (described above) and, if it finds one, runs the commands in it. This option disables this behavior.
With enhanced, the default, PSPP uses the best implemented
algorithms for statistical procedures. With compatible,
however, PSPP will in some cases use inferior algorithms to produce
the same results as the proprietary program SPSS.
Some commands have subcommands that override this setting on a per command basis.
With enhanced, the default, PSPP accepts its own extensions
beyond those compatible with the proprietary program SPSS. With
compatible, PSPP rejects syntax that uses these extensions.
Specifies encoding as the encoding for syntax files named on the
command line. The encoding also becomes the default encoding
for other syntax files read during the PSPP session by the
INCLUDE and INSERT commands. See INSERT, for the
accepted forms of encoding.
Prints a message describing PSPP command-line syntax and the available device formats, then exits.
Prints a brief message listing PSPP’s version, warranties you don’t have, copying conditions and copyright, and e-mail address for bug reports, then exits.
Disables certain unsafe operations. This includes the ERASE and
HOST commands, as well as use of pipes as input and output files.
Invoke heuristics to assist with testing PSPP. For use
by make check and similar scripts.