{smcl}
{* *! version 1.0.1 31aug2008}{...}
{cmd:help use10}
{hline}
{title:Title}
{p2colset 5 16 18 2}{...}
{p2col:{hi: use10} {hline 2}}Use Stata 10 format dataset in Stata 9{p_end}
{p2colreset}{...}
{title:Syntax}
{phang}
Load Stata-10 format dataset in Stata 9
{p 8 12 2}
{opt use10}
{it:filename}
[{cmd:,}
{opt clear}
{opt nol:abel}
{opt saving(filename)}
{opt replace}]
{phang}
Load subset of Stata-10 format dataset
{p 8 12 2}
{opt use10}
[{varlist}]
{ifin}
{helpb using}
{it:filename}
[{cmd:,}
{opt clear}
{opt nol:abel}]
{title:Description}
{pstd}
{opt use10} loads into memory a dataset previously saved by Stata 10 or compatible software.
If {it:filename} is specified without an extension, {cmd:.dta} is
assumed. If your {it:filename} contains embedded spaces, remember to enclose it in double quotes.
{pstd}
In the second syntax for {opt use10}, a subset of the data may be read.
{pstd}
{opt use10} is written in Mata and requires Stata 9. Datasets written with {opt save} in Stata 9
can be loaded in Stata 8 with standard {opt use} command.
{pstd}
{opt use10} will automatically call standard Stata's {opt use} command if it determines that the
file is not in Stata 10 format. Hence it is safe to always open data with {opt use10} rather than
{opt use}.
{pstd}
Stata 10 files may contain more formatting then Stata 9 format can accomodate.
This applies to {ul:date and time formats} only. It does not apply to {ul:data types}.
This program will automatically replace formats that are potentially incompatible with
Stata 9 with a default format (in this version it is %15.0g). Although some date and time
formats can be accomodated in Stata 9 without a loss, the exact rules for validation were
not known at the time this program was written. Replacement of potentially incompatible
formats with a default format is also a preferred strategy of Stata 10 when saving data in
Stata 9 format with {opt saveold}. {opt use10} lists original data types and formats for each
variable. Skilled users can change file {opt use10reformat.ado} to accomodate any changes in
formats they demand. Corresponding instructions are located in the {opt use10reformat.ado} file.
Deleting this file is not recommended (but it is possible: {opt use10} will still work).
{title:Performance}
{pstd}
{opt use10} loads ~420MB file slightly slower (<10%) than it takes Stata to {opt saveold}
and {opt use} the same file (48.75 seconds vs 32.17+12.34 seconds). Conversion is always
done for the whole dataset and only after that particular data is selected based on the specified
if- and in-restrictions and variables list.
{title:Compatibility}
{pstd}
{opt use10} is tested in 32-bit Stata for Windows. It is written in Mata and should
be compatible with all OSes that Stata runs on, supports HILO and LOHI Stata datasets and should also be
compatible with large datasets (>2GB, from Stata 64-bit).
{title:Error messages}
{pstd}
{opt use10} will attempt to detect if the file is ill-formed and issue standard Stata
error messages in such a case, but (as it is the case with Stata's {opt use}) loading corrupt datasets is
unlikely to succeed. Non-standard messages of {opt use10} include:
{phang}{it:"Warning: file does not conform to Stata-10 specification (file signature 114)"}{p_end}
{phang}This message is issued when file signature is different from what is expected according to Stata 10 file
format. This is just a warning, it is most often a signal that the file is originating from an earlier Stata
- the program will attempt to load the dataset with standard {opt use} command and all further messages (if any)
are coming from Stata itself.{p_end}
{phang}{it:"Warning! NNN variable(s) have different format after conversion"}{p_end}
{phang}This message is a signal that some incompatible formats were detected in the dataset and the user must verify (and
if necessary manually redefine formats for some variables). It is the responsibility of {opt use10reformat.ado} to find
an appropriate new format for an incompatible format and inform the user of any such replacement. By default, all variables
are listed with their respective data storage types, and formats. If the format is changed, this is indicated by a red star
preceding variable name and the new format displayed in brackets after the original format. {p_end}
{title:Options}
{phang}
{opt clear} specifies that it is okay to replace the data in memory,
even though the current data have not been saved to disk.
{phang}
{opt nolabel} prevents value labels in the saved data from being loaded.
It is unlikely that you will ever want to specify this option.
{opt saving(filename)} specifies where the converted file should be saved. If this option is not specified - a temporary
location is used.
{opt replace} (makes sense only with option {opt saving(filename)} allows the file specified in {opt saving(filename)} to be replaced.
{title:Some technical details}
{phang}{opt use10} is an rclass command{p_end}
{phang}{opt use10} uses global variable {it:use10_newformat} during it's work{p_end}
{phang}{opt use10} sets {opt r(fn)} to the original (Stata-10 format) dataset unless the
option {opt saving} is specified. In that case {opt r(fn)} will be set to the name specified in {opt saving}{p_end}
{phang}When option {opt saving(filename)} is specified with an if- or in-qualifiers (or both) the dataset is converted in full,
saved to the specified file, and a portion of it is subsequently loaded.{p_end}
{phang}If option {opt replace} was specified, file with the name specified in option {opt saving(filename)} is deleted regardless of
whether {opt use10} succeedes or not.
{title:Author}
{phang}
{opt use10} was written by {it:Sergiy Radyakin}, sradyakin(at)worldbank.org{p_end}
{title:Examples}
The following example will copy a Stata 10 format demo dataset from Stata Corp website and load it in Stata 9.
{phang}{cmd:. tempfile auto10}{p_end}
{phang}{cmd:. copy http://www.stata-press.com/data/r10/auto.dta `auto10'}{p_end}
{phang}{cmd:. use10 `auto10'}{p_end}
{hline}
Variable name Type Format[New Format]
{hline}
make str18 %-18s
price int %8.0gc
mpg int %8.0g
rep78 int %8.0g
headroom float %6.1f
trunk int %8.0g
weight int %8.0gc
length int %8.0g
turn int %8.0g
displacement int %8.0g
gear_ratio float %6.2f
foreign byte %8.0g
{hline}
(1978 Automobile Data)
{phang}{cmd:. use10 make rep78 foreign using `auto10', clear}{p_end}
For local files use command {opt use10} in the same fashion you use {opt use}, e.g.:
{phang}{cmd:. use10 var1 var2 using dataset10.dta if (var1>0) & (var2<.), clear}{p_end}
{title:Also see}
{psee}
Manual: {bf:[D] use}
{psee}
Online:
{manhelp use D},
{manhelp sysuse D},
{manhelp webuse D}
{p_end}