Error r(610)

[nonsi nkomo]

Hi

I am trying to open a STATA file and I am getting the following message: D:\Using Data to merge\19.dta not Stata format. Is there anyway I can get the file to open

Kind Regards
Nonsi Nkomo

[Clyde Schechter]

You need to find out what kind of file it actually is. Stata can only open .dta files. But it is capable of importing a number of other formats such as fixed text, delimited text, and Excel. And the wonderful StatTransfer program is capable of translating many other types of file into Stata format. (StatTransfer is by Circle Systems and is not affiliated with StataCorp.) But the first task is to find out what kind of file it actually is. Evidently it is misnamed. If you run -hexdump 19.dta-, Stata will show you the character representation of the contents of that file. Generally the information in the very beginning of that will show you what kind of file it really is.

[nonsi nkomo]

Hi Clyde

It was a STATA file that I had been working on a few hours ago. I switched off my laptop and when I switched on my laptop to finish off where I had left off, the file was refusing to open. I have tried the -hexdum 19.dta - command you have suggested and I am getting the same response, "file 19.dta not found r(601)." I really need to open it. I have done so much work in it =\.

Kind Regards
Nonsi Nkomo

[Clyde Schechter]

No, you are not getting the same response. "file not found" is not the same thing as "file not Stata format." So which is it? -hexdump- does not require a Stata format file: it will read any file! If the file is not found then there are several possibilities:

1. It has been deleted from the file system.
2. It has been renamed.
3 It has been moved to another directory.
4. Access privileges to the file or the directory containing it no longer give you permission to read it.

If the file has been deleted, then, unless you have a backup copy, you will have to re-create it. If it was deleted recently and your operating system has an undelete operation, use that. Otherwise, if you followed the recommended practice of memorializing all data management in do-files and logs, then it is just a matter of re-running those do-files and should not take nearly as long as originally figuring out the code. If you did not create an audit trail of how you created this file, then you have a lot of re-work ahead of you, and I suspect you will never again do work without an audit trail.

If one of the other things happened, you should be able to find the file with a diligent search of your file system. And if the access privileges have been changed, then you need to change them back (or have your IT support do it if you are not so privileged.)

[nonsi nkomo]

Hi Clyde

My apologies, for the -hexdump- command I got the response, "file 19.dta not found." I don't remember deleting, renaming, moving the file, or changing access privileges =/. I think the file has somehow been corrupted. I have managed to access my do file though - big relief!

Thank you for the help.

Kind Regards
Nonsi Nkomo