Understanding IBM SPSS Portable Files (.por) In the world of data analysis, moving datasets between different versions of software or entirely different analytical platforms can sometimes pose a challenge. While primarily uses the .sav format for data files, it offers a specialized format designed for maximum compatibility: the Portable File (.por) .
A Portable file, identified by the .por extension, is a file format specifically designed to be transferred across different computer architectures and operating systems [SPSS documentation]. While a .sav file is binary and highly optimized for speed within SPSS, a .por file is written in ASCII format. ibm spss portable