cannot write in directory c:\ado\plus\o

[marwan Alssadek]

Hello,

when I want to install xtpmg on stata 12 I get always this error: cannot write in directory

cannot write in directory c:\ado\plus\o

I use University’s computer?? is this because I do not have admin permission ??

Thanks

[Nick Cox]

Sorry, but we really cannot comment authoritatively on your permissions if you don't know what they are (unless exceptionally you tell us what University and someone else from that University is watching and well informed -- but it's probably not a good idea to put such information in a public forum).

Nevertheless it would be common on many networks that if you happen to log on to a particular machine in a room to which many other users have access, then it makes no sense to give you install rights on that machine. There is no sense in which that machine is dedicated to you and no sense in which you are expected to return to that machine So, the answer may be to adjust your adopath so that you can install somewhere else, e.g. a drive with some filespace for you or a physical device where you do have write access.

help adopath

[marwan Alssadek]

I am still confusing ....Is this code to download or what ???

[Nick Cox]

Type in your Stata

help adopath

and you will get help on the adopath command.

[marwan Alssadek]

I have done that ...since Iam new to the Stata..., I do not understand what I should do ...Help plz

[Nick Cox]

You need, I guess, to change what adopath tells you is PLUS. Examples to show the form are

sysdir set PLUS e:\stata  

sysdir set PLUS k:\stata

but clearly you need to specify a directory according to your local set-up (hardware and network) and I can't tell you what that will be.

[marwan Alssadek]

Many thanks for help...so, how can I specify a directory ????

[marwan Alssadek]

Iam still waiting for your help

[Nick Cox]

Examples already in #6.

[Weiwen Ng]

Marwan,

To clarify, Nick means that you should ask your university's system administrator what directories you can write to. You don't need administrator privileges; the administrator can just give you read and write privileges.

Then, you want to run Nick's code, pointing Stata to the directory where you have write privileges. Say your administrator says you can write to E:\users\marwan_alssadek. Type

sysdir set "E:\users\marwan_alssadek"

I've typically put directories in quotes, although it may not be necessary. Once you set your -sysdir-, you should be able to install that package from SSC. Note: You may have to re-run your -sysdir- command every time you start Stata. I have to do that on a network computer I have access to. This may depend on your settings.

[marwan Alssadek]

Is the problem because the Stata was licenced by Plymouth University ???

[Nick Cox]

No; xtpmg (SJ, SSC) is community-contributed. It makes no difference what licence anyone has or who has what licence. Users have to install it if they wish to use it and that is so each and every way licencing can happen.

[marwan Alssadek]

Please, simply explains to me the problem and how I solve it.. I will highly appreciated... I have been struggling to solve it...Even, I follow all your suggestions.But, they did not work..Keep in mind the computer does not have external hard drive

[Weiwen Ng]

Please, simply explains to me the problem and how I solve it.. I will highly appreciated... I have been struggling to solve it...Even, I follow all your suggestions.But, they did not work..Keep in mind the computer does not have external hard drive

This is the problem. You are trying to run a user-written program (these are like R packages). You have to download the files and install them. By default, Stata installs files to c:\ado\plus\. By Windows convention, C: is your own computer's hard drive. Sometimes on University computers, the administrator will restrict access to the entire drive or to some directories. Presumably you have read access, but you can't write.

You need to get write access to the Stata directory. Your department's IT people need to give you access. If they are not willing to let you access C:\ado\plus and its sub-directories, they may be willing to let you access a network drive. Alternatively, I imagine you can bring in a flash drive, copy the files there, then plug it in and tell Stata to reset the system directory to the external drive. You will be able to see the drive letter in Windows Explorer.

We can't help you any further. You need to talk to your IT department.

[marwan Alssadek]

Many thanks.....So, what IT department is supposed to do ?