### 8.4 DATASET commands

    DATASET NAME name [WINDOW={ASIS,FRONT}].
    DATASET ACTIVATE name [WINDOW={ASIS,FRONT}].
    DATASET COPY name [WINDOW={MINIMIZED,HIDDEN,FRONT}].
    DATASET DECLARE name [WINDOW={MINIMIZED,HIDDEN,FRONT}].
    DATASET CLOSE {name,*,ALL}.
    DATASET DISPLAY.

The `DATASET` commands simplify use of multiple datasets within a PSPP session. They allow datasets to be created and destroyed. At any given time, most PSPP commands work with a single dataset, called the active dataset.

The DATASET NAME command gives the active dataset the specified name, or if it already had a name, it renames it. If another dataset already had the given name, that dataset is deleted.

The DATASET ACTIVATE command selects the named dataset, which must already exist, as the active dataset. Before switching the active dataset, any pending transformations are executed, as if `EXECUTE` had been specified. If the active dataset is unnamed before switching, then it is deleted and becomes unavailable after switching.

The DATASET COPY command creates a new dataset with the specified name, whose contents are a copy of the active dataset. Any pending transformations are executed, as if `EXECUTE` had been specified, before making the copy. If a dataset with the given name already exists, it is replaced. If the name is the name of the active dataset, then the active dataset becomes unnamed.

The DATASET DECLARE command creates a new dataset that is initially “empty,” that is, it has no dictionary or data. If a dataset with the given name already exists, this has no effect. The new dataset can be used with commands that support output to a dataset, e.g. AGGREGATE (see AGGREGATE).

The DATASET CLOSE command deletes a dataset. If the active dataset is specified by name, or if ‘`*`’ is specified, then the active dataset becomes unnamed. If a different dataset is specified by name, then it is deleted and becomes unavailable. Specifying ALL deletes all datasets except for the active dataset, which becomes unnamed.

The DATASET DISPLAY command lists all the currently defined datasets.

Many DATASET commands accept an optional `WINDOW` subcommand. In the PSPPIRE GUI, the value given for this subcommand influences how the dataset’s window is displayed. Outside the GUI, the `WINDOW` subcommand has no effect. The valid values are:

ASIS

  Do not change how the window is displayed. This is the default for DATASET NAME and DATASET ACTIVATE.

FRONT

  Raise the dataset’s window to the top. Make it the default dataset for running syntax.

MINIMIZED

  Display the window “minimized” to an icon. Prefer other datasets for running syntax. This is the default for DATASET COPY and DATASET DECLARE.

HIDDEN

  Hide the dataset’s window. Prefer other datasets for running syntax.