It is very useful to customize the toolbars (refer to the User Guide for instructions). This is my Syntax Window toolbar.

Customized SPSS toolbar, icons

Buttons description

1. Empty the data editor
2. Open a new syntax window
3. Open a new script window
7. List the most recently used procedures
13. Run the command on which the cursor is positioned
14. Run the selected lines of syntax
15. Run syntax from the command on which the cursor is positioned to the end of the syntax
16. Run the complete syntax in the syntax window
18. When the cursor is on a command (for example FLIP or DO REPEAT), a window containing a brief description of the syntax for the command pops up.
20. This opens the spssbase.pdf file (the electronic version of the Syntax Reference Guide). I use this all the time
21. This has the same effect as entering an EXECUTE command. It gets rid of the Transformations pending message in the status bar. Very convenient.
22. This is an "home made" icon. It is linked to the Empty Designated Output window script. When I write / debug syntax, I click this icon before each run, this way I have only fresh output in the Output window.