How to Read .sav Files Into Python

In this Pandas tutorial, we are going to acquire 1) how to read SPSS (.sav) files in Python, and 2) how to write to SPSS (.sav) files using Python.

Python is a smashing general-purpose language as well as for carrying out statistical assay and data visualization. However, Python is not really user-friendly when information technology comes to data storage. Thus, oft our data will be archived using Excel, SPSS or similar software.

For case, larn how to import information from other file types, such as Excel, SAS, and Stata in the following ii posts:

• Read SAS files in Python using Pandas
• Read Excel (.xslx) files in Python with Pandas
• How to read Stata files in Python with Pandas and Pyreadstat

Overview of the .sav file in SPSS

If we ever need to learn how to read a file in Python in other formats, such a text file, information technology is achievable. To read a file in Python without any libraries we simply use the open() method.

How to open a .sav file in Python?

How to open a .sav file in Python? There are some packages as Pyreadstat, and Pandas that allow performing this operation. If we are working with Pandas, the   read_spss method volition load a .sav file into a Pandas dataframe. Annotation, Pyreadstat volition likewise create a Pandas dataframe from an SPSS file.

How to Open an SPSS file in Python with Pandas in 2 Steps:

Fourth dimension needed:ane infinitesimal.

Here are two elementary steps on how to read .sav files in Python using Pandas (more details will be provided in this post):

1. import pandas

   in your script type "import pandas as pd"

   

2. use read_spss

   in your script use the read_spss method:
   df = read_spss('PATH_TO_SAV_FILE")

   

In this section, nosotros are going to learn how to load an SPSS file in Python using the Python package Pyreadstat. Before we employ Pyreadstat we are going to install it. This Python package tin be installed in ii ways.

How to install Pyreadstat:

There are two very piece of cake methods to install Pyreadstat.:

1. Install Pyreadstat using pip:
   Open up up a terminal, or windows command prompt, and blazon pip install pyreadstat
2. Install using Conda:
   Open up a final, or windows command prompt and type conda install -c conda-forge pyreadstat

Annotation, Pandas tin can be installed by irresolute "pyreadstat" to "pandas". Furthermore, it's besides possible to install & update Python packages using Anaconda Navigator.

How to Load a .sav File in Python Using Pyreadstat

Every time we run our Jupyter notebook, we need to load the packages we need. In the Python read SPSS example below, nosotros will apply Pyreadstat and, thus, the beginning line of code will import the package:

Step 1: Import pyreadstat

          
                          # 1: import the pyreadstat package              import              pyreadstat          
                      Code language:            Python            (            python            )                  

Step 2: Apply read_sav to import data:

Now, we can employ the method read_sav to read an SPSS file. Note that, when we load a file using the Pyreadstat package, recognize that information technology will await for the file in Python's working directory. In the read SPSS file in Python example beneath, we are going to use this SPSS file. Make sure to download it and put it in the right folder (or change the path in the code chunk below):

          
                          # 2 utilise read_sav to read SPSS file:              df, meta = pyreadstat.read_sav('./SimData/survey_1.sav')          
                      Lawmaking linguistic communication:            Python            (            python            )                  

In the code chunk in a higher place we create two variables; df, and meta. As can be seen, when using type df is a Pandas dataframe:

          
            blazon(df)          
                      Lawmaking language:            Python            (            python            )                  

Thus, we can utilize all methods available for Pandas dataframe objects. In the next line of code, we are going to print the v first rows of the dataframe using pandas head method.

          
            df.head()          
                      Lawmaking language:            Python            (            python            )                  

First v rows of the example SPSS file as a dataframe

Meet more near working with Pandas dataframes in the post-obit tutorials:

• Python Groupby Tutorial: Here yous will acquire almost working the groupby method to group Pandas dataframes.
• Learn how to accept random samples from a pandas dataframe
• A more full general, overview, of how to work with Pandas dataframe objects can be found in the Pandas Dataframe tutorial.

How to Read an SPSS file in Python Using Pandas

Pandas can, of course, as well exist used to load an SPSS file into a dataframe. Note, even so, we demand to install the Pyreadstat parcel as, at least right now, Pandas depends on this for reading .sav files. As always, we need to import Pandas as pd:

          
                          import              pandas              equally              pd          
                      Code linguistic communication:            Python            (            python            )                  

Now, when we have done that, we can read the .sav file into a Pandas dataframe using the read_spss method. In the read SPSS example beneath, we read the same data file equally before and impress the five last rows of the dataframe using Pandas tail method. Remember, using this method as well requires you to have the file in the subfolder "simData" (or change the path in the script).

          
            df = pd.read_spss('./SimData/survey_1.sav') df.tail()          
                      Lawmaking language:            Python            (            python            )                  

Reading Specific Columns from the .sav File in Python

Note, that both read_sav (Pyreadstat) and read_spss have the arguments "usecols". By using this argument, nosotros can also select which columns we want to load from the SPSS file to the dataframe:

          
            cols = ['ID',              'Day',              'Age',              'Response',              'Gender'] df = pd.read_spss('./SimData/survey_1.sav', usecols=cols) df.head()          
                      Code language:            Python            (            python            )                  

At present, that nosotros know how to read data from a .sav file using Python, Pyreadstats, and Pandas we can explore the data. For example, there are many libraries in Python for data visualisation and we can go along by making a Seaborn scatter plot.

How to Write an SPSS file Using Python

Now we are going to learn how to relieve Pandas dataframe to an SPSS file. Information technology'southward uncomplicated, we will use the Pyreadstats write_sav method. The get-go statement should be the Pandas dataframe that is going to be saved as a .sav file.

          
            pyreadstat.write_sav(df,              './SimData/survey_1_copy.sav')          
                      Code language:            Python            (            python            )                  

Recollect to put the right path, as the 2d argument, when using write_sav to salvage a .sav file.
Unfortunately, Pandas don't take a to_spss method, yet. Only, as Pyreadstats is a dependency of Pandas read_spss method nosotros tin utilize information technology to write an SPSS file in Python.

Summary: Read and Write .savn Files in Python

Now nosotros take learned how to read and write .sav files using Python. It was quite unproblematic and both methods are, in fact, using the same Python packages.

Here's a Jupyter notebook with the code used in this Python SPSS tutorial.

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Source: https://www.marsja.se/how-to-read-write-spss-files-in-python-pandas/

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