merge 1:1 pidp with keepusing(.....)

[Nico Ochmann]

Dear Stata Forum,

this seems to be a rather straightforward task, but I receive an error message for whatever reason.
I use the UKHLS or Understanding Society. It seems to me that e_englang should be the only variable used from the using dataset, instead I receive the error message below.
Any ideas anyone?

I would as usual appreciate your help.

Best wishes.


use pidp a_englang using "$Stata11_se/a_indresp_protect", clear // master data set

merge 1:1 pidp using "$Stata11_se/e_indresp_protect.dta" , keepusing(e_englang) nogen // merge master with using dataset while only using the variable e_englang.

Error message in red:
no room to add more variables
Up to 2,048 variables are allowed with this version of Stata. Versions are available that allow up to 32,767 variables.

[Rich Goldstein]

for each of the two files, please show the result of

describe, short

and put the command and the results in CODE blocks (as I have done here) - see the FAQ if you don't understand

[Nico Ochmann]

I appreciate your prompt reply. I hope this is what you wanted.

Thank you.

use "$Stata11_se/a_indresp_protect", clear

desribe, short

Contains data from F:\UnderstandingSocietyData\Data\stata\stata11_se/a_indresp_protect.dta
obs: 50,994
vars: 1,417
size: 95,103,810
Sorted by:

use "$Stata11_se/e_indresp_protect", clear

desribe, short

no room to add more variables
Up to 2,048 variables are allowed with this version of Stata. Versions are available that allow up to 32,767 variables.

[Rich Goldstein]

it sounds like your second file has too many variables for your version of Stata; try using the second syntax in the help file

describe using filename, short

replacing my "filename" with your actual filename

[Nico Ochmann]

describe using "$Stata11_se/e_indresp_protect", short

Contains data                                 
  obs:        44,903                          
 vars:         2,621                          
 size:   135,786,672                          
Sorted by:

Really appreciate your help. Thanks.

[Jorrit Gosens]

Seems the limits of your version of Stata will not allow loading the 2621 variables from the using dataset.

You can still load a smaller selection of variables form the using dataset doing e.g,:

 
 use  pidp e_englang using "$Stata11_se/e_indresp_protect"

then save this set, and use that as the using dataset for your merge command

[Nico Ochmann]

Done and dusted. It worked.

Thank you very much Jorrit and Rich.

Have a great day.