Why a dta file originated from Stata 11 and further manipulated in Stata 13 can't be viewed again in Stata 11 ?

[Mike Kraft]

Hi
I have run some coding using Stata 11 on my laptop, saved the resulting data as dta file, then transferred the data to my PC that has Stata 13 and left it running all night....The code takes almost 8 hours!
I have also saved the resulting file as usual using ( save file ). The file should be a dta file , and the extension is dta.

I am disappointed , because I can only view the resulting file from Stata 13 in my PC but not in laptop using Stata 11. When I transfer the data back to my laptop and use Stata 11 and try to upload the data as if it is a dta file (it should be), I receive the error message:
"file file5.dta not Stata format"

I can view the file in Stata 13 but not Stata 11 ,though it was originated and manipulated using Stata 11 , and it is a dta file!

Any help to be able to work on the file using Stata 11 ?

Thanks

[Nick Cox]

The origin of your Stata dataset in 11 makes no difference to what will happen. The key is that you saved it in 13 and so used the current standard. Your alternatives are to use saveold, but at present I can't check whether that is sufficient to make it readable by 11, or to export it in some other form that 11 can read.

As from 13, what is possible in a dataset includes strLs which can't be held by 11, so that alone made a change of dataset format inevitable.

Your file will be a .dta file but just not one that 11 can recognise. Clearly Stata 11 was not written knowing what changes would be made in 12, 13, 14, ... and for all sorts of strong reasons once a new version is out previous versions are (with exceptions not relevant here) part of history. Tough but true.

As said, you should check out the alternatives.

[Richard Williams]

-findit use13- may meet your needs.

[Sergiy Radyakin]

Mike, refer to http://radyakin.org/transfer/stata2stata/ for Stata to Stata data transfer. Best, Sergiy