Multidimensional Scaling Startup Panel - Options Tab

Select the Options tab of the Multidimensional Scaling Startup Panel to access options to specify the starting configuration and number of iterations for the multidimensional scaling analysis.
Option Description
Starting configuration The options in the Starting configuration group box are used to select the starting configuration for the current analysis.
Standard Guttman-Lingoes Specifies the Guttman-Lingoes starting configuration. This option is selected by default. This procedure amounts to a principal components analysis, and in most instances provides an adequate starting configuration for the iterative fitting procedure.
From input file Uses a Statistica raw data file with the coordinates as the starting configuration. This file can be created as a new Statistica Spreadsheet or it can be a configuration file saved from the Multidimensional Scaling Results dialog box during a previous run. The file containing the starting configuration must have as many cases as the current matrix file, and it must have as many variables as there are dimensions specified for the current run.
Configuration file Displays the Starting Configuration File dialog box, which is used to select the file to be used for the starting configuration of the analysis.
Last final configuration Uses the configuration of the previously computed model as the starting configuration. After returning from the Results dialog box, this is the default starting configuration.

For example, suppose that you have just computed a three-dimensional solution for a similarity matrix, and are now returning to the Startup Panel. If you want to calculate the two-dimensional solution (and you do not change the options selected in the Starting configuration frame) the program automatically uses the previous configuration for the first two dimensions as the starting configuration for the next analysis. Of course, if you have just opened Multidimensional Scaling, if you select new variables (see Startup Panel - Quick tab) or if you increase the number of dimensions, the Last final configuration option is not available.

Epsilon You can specify the smallest distance that is to be considered important or significant by the program by entering in the field or using microscrolls. All distances that are less than Epsilon are considered to be 0 (zero) by the program. If this value is smaller, more iterations are performed and the solution is more precise. Change this value only if the iterative fitting procedure cannot produce a solution even after many iterations.
Minimum number of iterations Specifies the minimum number of iterations that are to be performed during the iterative fitting procedure. The minimum value is 6.
Maximum number of iterations Specifies the maximum number of iterations to be performed during the iterative fitting process.