Troubleshooting
Problem
When saving a data file, the error message 'The attempt to save the data file has failed because the disk is full, an I/O error has occurred, the variable dictionary is invalid, or the task was interrupted' presents and file cannot be saved. There appears to be sufficient disk space on the target storage medium to save the file.
Symptom
Attempt to save IBM SPSS Statistics data file fails with message,'The attempt to save the data file has failed because the disk is full, an I/O error has occurred, the variable dictionary is invalid, or the task was interrupted.'
Cause
This error may occur if there are string variables for which the number of characters in the data differs from the number of character indicated in the 'Width' setting for the variable in Variable View. When the save of the data occurs, the file fails one or more data integrity tests.
Environment
The error presents when saving an IBM SPSS Statistics data file.
Diagnosing The Problem
Determine if there is sufficient disk space on the target storage medium to rule out insufficient disk space. Attempt save to a different drive location. Determine if the file contains string data. Determine if the data file contains data imported from non-IBM SPSS program data sources (i.e. not 'sav' files).
Resolving The Problem
Determine if are string variables in the dataset for which the number of characters in the data differs from the number of character indicated in the 'Width' setting for the variable in Variable View. If so, change the 'Width' value for the variable to a value equal to or greater than the longest string value for that variable. Attempt to save the file. If the error persists after this action, open the non-IBM SPSS source file (e.g. Excel *.xls) and save the file as a text or comma-separated-value (csv) file. Import the file into Statistics using the 'Read Text Data' option under the File menu.
Related Information
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Document Information
Modified date:
16 April 2020
UID
swg21579356