* Reading text data "list" data.

* Mendota Ice Cover.

* From the previous example, new data.
data list list skip=1
 / winter (a7) close (a6) open (a6) icedays.
begin data
 WINTER  CLOSED  OPENED   DAYS
1852-53     -    5-Apr    -             
1853-54  27-Dec     -      -             
1854-55     -        -     -              
1855-56  18-Dec  14-Apr   118           
1856-57  6-Dec   6-May    151           
1857-58  25-Nov  26-Mar   121           
1858-59  8-Dec   14-Mar    96           
1859-60  7-Dec   26-Mar   110           
1860-61  14-Dec  10-Apr   117           
1861-62  2-Dec   13-Apr   132           
1862-63  26-Dec  9-Apr    104           
1863-64  18-Dec  21-Apr   125           
1864-65  8-Dec   5-Apr    118           
1865-66  14-Dec  18-Apr   125           
1866-67  18-Dec  20-Apr   123           
1867-68  12-Dec  31-Mar   110           
1868-69  10-Dec  16-Apr   127           
1869-70  2-Dec   12-Apr   131 
end data.

string openmonth (a3).
compute openmonth = substr(open,char.index(open, "-")+1).
frequencies variables=openmonth.

missing values openmonth (" ").
frequencies variables=openmonth.

data list fixed /* Hard to see in the SPSS editor, but these data are in regular columns.
 / winter 1-7  (a) close 9-15 (a) open 17-23 (a) icedays 26-29.
begin data
1852-53     -    5-Apr    -             
1853-54  27-Dec     -      -             
1854-55     -        -     -              
1855-56  18-Dec  14-Apr   118           
1856-57  6-Dec   6-May    151           
1857-58  25-Nov  26-Mar   121           
1858-59  8-Dec   14-Mar    96           
1859-60  7-Dec   26-Mar   110           
1860-61  14-Dec  10-Apr   117           
1861-62  2-Dec   13-Apr   132           
1862-63  26-Dec  9-Apr    104           
1863-64  18-Dec  21-Apr   125           
1864-65  8-Dec   5-Apr    118           
1865-66  14-Dec  18-Apr   125           
1866-67  18-Dec  20-Apr   123           
1867-68  12-Dec  31-Mar   110           
1868-69  10-Dec  16-Apr   127           
1869-70  2-Dec   12-Apr   131 
end data.

string openmonth (a3).
compute openmonth = substr(open,char.index(open, "-")+1).
missing values openmonth (" ").
frequencies variables=openmonth.

* From a file.  If you use a good text editor,or have a codebook, this is easier than in-line.
data list fixed file="y:\spss\data\mendota2011.txt" skip=1
 / winter 1-7  (a) close 9-15 (a) open 18-23 (a) icedays 27-29.

string openmonth (a3).
compute openmonth = substr(open,char.index(open, "-")+1).
missing values openmonth (" ").
frequencies variables=openmonth.