Make Windows Behave like Mac

[Rafael De Anda]

I recently switched from the Mac version of Stata 12 MP to the Windows version of Stata 14 IC. I'm probably one of the few that doesn't like to have multiple Stata windows open at the same time. Is there any way to change my settings so that running a program doesn't open up a new stata window? The problem is that when I don't pay attention I end up having 3 or 4 stata windows open at the same time and I will occasionally write in a command on the wrong window. I usually work on multiple do files using Notepad++.

[Jesse Wursten]

I'm not sure what you mean, but you can run dofiles from the command window "do <dofilepath>". This way, you never open a new window.

[Sem Vandekerckhove]

Probably what Rafael means is that each time you open a do-file from Windows explorer, a new Stata session opens, unlike on the Mac. If you want to 'run' the do file on the data in memory, you need to call it using syntax, open it from within the do-file editor, or drag it into the do-file editor, which is what I do.

[Evgeny Saburov]

Hi,
This is an older thread and I'm wondering if there have been any changes in how Stata operates in Windows OSes that can make what Rafael asked about possible.
I think in some cases it would be very convenient if Stata could be locked to a single instance and so any Stata relevant files that one would try to open from file explorer (or other file management programs) would be opened in that single instance. For example, double clicking on Stata's data file in file explorer could behave like -use- command typically behaves in Stata itself, double clicking on a do-file could open a new do-file tab, same with smcl, gph and other Stata generated files.

So is this something for the wishlist thread or is any of that possible with more recent versions of Stata?