### 8.5 DATA LIST

Used to read text or binary data, `DATA LIST` is the most fundamental data-reading command. Even the more sophisticated input methods use `DATA LIST` commands as a building block. Understanding `DATA LIST` is important to understanding how to use PSPP to read your data files.

There are two major variants of `DATA LIST`, which are fixed format and free format. In addition, free format has a minor variant, list format, which is discussed in terms of its differences from vanilla free format.

Each form of `DATA LIST` is described in detail below.

See GET DATA, for a command that offers a few enhancements over DATA LIST and that may be substituted for DATA LIST in many situations.