A
NewMDSX Run Script, which contains the set of instructions for making a
specific run of a program , consists of a sequential set of commands, and each
command occupies a line of 80 positions or characters.
A
command has two distinct parts:
i) the command word itself, and
ii) an operand (or parameters) field which follows the command word separated
by at least one space. The operand field may be blank for some commands. (To
aid legibility and for historical reasons, the operand field usually begins
from position 16, but this is no longer required)
Commands
must occupy one and only one line of input except for PARAMETERS,
COMMENT, LABELS and the three output option commands
PRINT,
PLOT and PUNCH, which may
continue for as many lines as necessary.
Generally,
there is no fixed precedence of commands. However, all data definition
instructions ( N OF SUBJECTS, N OF STIMULI, PARAMETERS,
etc.) must precede the READ MATRIX command and the PRINT,
PLOT and PUNCH commands and
LABELS (if
used) must precede the COMPUTE command. FINISH must
be the last line of the input.
For
compatibility with earlier versions of MDS(X), each READ
MATRIX or READ CONFIG command may be preceded by an INPUT
FORMAT specification, although this may now be omitted, as by default
free format data input is assumed, with the numerical values separated only by
spaces.
See
also the help entries for the individual NewMDSX procedures
for full details of the commands and parameters which apply to each procedure.
LIST
OF COMMANDS
Note:
those which are obligatory are marked with an asterisk *
1.
RUN NAME
RUN
NAME any descriptive title for the run
Function
: Provides a name for the run
Status : Optional
2.
TASK NAME
TASK
NAME any descriptive title for a sub-task
Function
: Provides a name for the task (Useful in runs where more than one task is
performed)
Status : Optional
Notes : On encountering a second (and subsequent) TASK NAME, PARAMETERS will
resume their default values.
LABELS
optional labels for variables/stimuli
Function
: Allows the user to add identification labels (usually to stimuli) which will appear
in appropriate positions in the output. Labels, as appropriate to the procedure
concerned, should appear on successive lines.
Status : Optional
Note: There should normally be as many labels as
there are items to identify, or they may be ignored. In routines where there are large numbers of subjects, labels for subjects may be omitted.
COMMENT
any comments
Function
: Allows the user to insert comments and notes at any point in the input file.
Comments may be continued on subsequent lines in free format.
Status : Optional
5.
PRINT DATA
PRINT
DATA YES or NO
Function
: Allows the user to have any input data echoed in output. Can be useful if the
system appears to be misreading your data.
Status : Optional
Notes : PRINT DATA is initially set to YES by default and will remain in
force until the end of the run or another PRINT DATA command is encountered.
N
OF SUBJECTS
or
NO OF SUBJECTS number of subjects in the analysis: must be an
integer value
or
# OF SUBJECTS
Function
: Provides the system with the number of subjects in the analysis.
Status : Obligatory for two-mode procedures
Note : Not applicable to some procedures: see the help entry on the procedure
to be applied.
N
OF STIMULI
or
NO OF STIMULI number of stimuli in the analysis: must
be an integer value
or
# OF STIMULI
Function
: Provides the system with the number of stimuli in the analysis
Status : Obligatory for all procedures
Notes : Not applicable to some procedures:
see the help entry on the procedure to be applied. In HICLUS and BBDIAM
may be replaced with
N OF POINTS.
DIMENSIONS
number(s) of dimensions to use in the analysis
or
DIMENSIONS n1 TO n2
(not possible for all procedures - consult procedure help)
Function
: Sets the dimensionalities for the analysis
Status : Obligatory
Notes : Solutions are usually computed from the highest dimensionality down to
the lowest, whatever the order specified in the instruction.
CLUSTERS
number(s) of groups
or
CLUSTERS
n1 TO n2
Function : Gives
the numbers of groups into which the stimuli are to be partitioned
Status :
Obligatory for BBDIAM only
Notes : Partitions are computed from
the smallest number of groups to the largest, whatever the order
specified in the instruction.
PARAMETERS
keyword (value), keyword (value) etc.
Function
: Allows the user to set program parameters to control the analysis
Status : Optional
Notes : The PARAMETERS command can be continued on subsequent lines. 'Keyword
(value)' items may be separated by as many spaces and commas as desired but
should not be split between lines. Subject to this restriction, all parameters
are free format.
Parameters are set to their default values if no PARAMETERS command is
encountered before READ MATRIX or READ CONFIG. Otherwise all parameters must be
specified.
Parameters are set either implicitly or explicitly for each new task.
n.b.
only the first four characters of a parameter name are significant, and may be
shortened, if desired
11.
ITERATIONS
ITERATIONS
maximum number of iterations to be performed; an integer number
Function
: Sets the maximum number of iterations to be performed in the analysis
Status : Optional
Notes : Applicable only to those programs which employ an iterative procedure.
A maximum of 100 iterations will be assumed if this instruction is not used.
INPUT
FORMAT a legal FORTRAN format specification, enclosed in brackets (excluding
the word FORMAT)
Function
: Describes the data to be read in, where this would be misread if free format
is assumed
Status : Optional; free format input is assumed if not used.
Notes : For most programs, the format must read real numbers.
READ
MATRIX blank
Function
: Instructs the system to begin reading the data matrix (or matrices) according
to INPUT
FORMAT, if used, or otherwise assuming free format input.
Status : Obligatory
Notes : READ MATRIX may be preceded by an INPUT
FORMAT instruction, and where
applicable N OF SUBJECTS and N OF STIMULI instructions. See help on the
procedure to be applied for the type of matrix expected.
The data matrix must immediately follow the READ MATRIX instruction.
READ
CONFIG blank
Function
: Instructs the system to read in an initial configuration rather than
generating its own.
Status : Optional
Notes :
Use of this option can often cut the time taken to reach the solution
READ CONFIG, if used, may be preceded by its own INPUT
FORMAT instruction if
free format input is not satisfactory and, where applicable, # OF SUBJECTS
, # OF SUBJECTS, and DIMENSIONS instructions. See help on the relevant procedure for
the type of matrix expected.
The configuration must immediately follow the READ CONFIG instruction.
COMPUTE
blank
Function
: Instructs the system to start the computation
Status : Obligatory
Notes : COMPUTE must be preceded by READ MATRIX.
PRINT
{ALL }
or
PLOT {ALLBUT variable numbers}
or
PUNCH {EXCEPT matrix name (dimensions) matrix list null variable numbers}
Function
: Allows user control over the amount of output generated - different procedures
have different options and defaults.
Status : Optional
Notes : PRINT relates to the main output text file.
PLOT controls the output of line-printer-style plots, also to the main output
file. For convenience, specifying a PLOT option will automatically also PRINT
the corresponding values in tabular form in the output file.
The PUNCH keyword is retained for compatibility with earlier versions of MDS(X).
It now generates an optional secondary output file of selected information for
later analysis by this or other programs.
17.
ERROR LIMIT
ERROR
LIMIT an integer number
Function
: Sets the number of errors to be encountered in reading the input file before
processing ceases
Status : Optional
Notes : The default value is 20 errors.
FINISH
Function
: Terminates the run
Status : Obligatory (must be the last line in the run instructions)