Demo Version 5.21

Mplus Version 5.21 Demo is now available for download at no cost. The demo version contains all of the capabilities of the regular version of Mplus. They include:

• Linear regression with multivariate outcomes
• Probit regression for binary and ordered categorical variables with multivariate outcomes
• Logistic regression for binary, ordered, and unordered categorical variables
• Path analysis
• Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis
• Confirmatory factor analysis with covariates
• General structural equation modeling
• Growth modeling
• Multilevel modeling
• General latent variable mixture modeling

The Mplus Demo Version is limited only by the number of observed variables that can be used in an analysis. Following are the limitations:

• Maximum number of dependent variables: 6
• Maximum number of independent variables: 2
• Maximum number of between variables in two-level analysis: 2

All features in Mplus Version 5.21 Base Program and Combination Add-On are available in Mplus Version 5.21 Demo. Read more about these features. Mplus commands and options are described in A Summary of the Mplus Language. Most of the examples found in the Mplus section can be run using the demo version. These include: cont3, cont6, cont10, mix1-mix6, mix8-mix11, mix14, and penn1-penn7. Other examples need to be modified to not exceed the limitations described above.

Muthén & Muthén holds the copyright for the Mplus Demo Version. The Mplus Demo Version may be copied but may not be altered or sold.

Installing the Mplus Demo Version

1. Download the file mpdzip.exe by clicking on the link and saving it into a temporary working directory, C:\TEMP for example.
   
   
2. The file mpdzip.exe is a software installation executable. Double-click on mpdzip.exe in Windows Explorer or run it from Start and Run.
   
   
3. Follow the instructions given by the setup program.
   
   
4. Users running Mplus Demo Version under Windows 95/98/ME: Installing Mplus Demo Version into a directory with a long filename may cause a problem with the PATH environment variable. If you have a problem running Mplus from the Mplus editor or from the MS-DOS prompt, edit the AUTOEXEC.BAT manually to put quotes around the PATH environment setting or install Mplus Demo Version into a directory with no spaces.

Using the Mplus Demo Version

Mplus can be run from the Mplus editor for Windows or from the MS-DOS prompt. The Mplus editor for Windows includes an Mplus Language Generator.

Windows

To run Mplus through Windows, click on the Start button, click on the Programs button, and then click on Mplus. The menu bar contains the menu item Mplus. This offers two options: Language Generator and Run Mplus. Mplus can also be run by clicking on the RUN button. A user can use an existing input setup, create a new input setup using the editor, or use the language generator to create an input setup.

Language Generator

Version 5.21 of Mplus includes a language generator to assist in preparing input files. The Mplus Language Generator takes users through a series of screens to help them quickly set up an Mplus input file. The language generator contains all of the Mplus commands except DEFINE, MODEL, and MONTECARLO. Hints for using the Mplus Language Generator are included under the Help menu.

MS-DOS Prompt

To get to the MS-DOS prompt, click on the Start button, click on the Programs button, and then click on the MS-DOS Prompt button. There are two ways to run Mplus from the MS-DOS prompt through Windows. Note that for both ways, all new output files, whether user-specified or the default, will automatically overwrite existing files of the same name.

The first way to run the program is to type Mplus, the name of the file containing the input setup and the name of the output file on the command line, and then to hit the Enter key. If the output file name is not included, the output file will be assigned the default name, which is the input file name with .out as an extension. Following is an example of this first option:

  C:\Mpdemo5 sample.inp sample.txt

where sample.inp in the file that contains the input setup and sample.txt is the name of the file in which the output will be written. The following entry,

  C:\Mpdemo5 sample.inp

would result in the output going to the file sample.out, the default output file.

The second way to run the program is to type Mplus on the command line and to hit the Enter key. You will be prompted for the name of the input file. After hitting the Enter key again, you will be prompted for the name of the output file. For example,

   C:\Mpdemo5

  Give name of input file:
  Give name of output file (if not using the default):

Hitting the Enter key without supplying the name of the output file results in the use of the default output file name.