"cannot open C:\Program Files (x86)\Stata13\inter.txt" , what i can do to open the matrix file?

[Emeni Zaouali]

i create a distance matrix using spmat command, and when i export the following matrix to a text format stata send a message: 'can not open C:\Program Files (x86)\Stata13\inter.txt", what i can do to open the matrix file?

[Nick Cox]

Check to see if you have write access in that place. If not, change directory to somewhere else where you do. Other possible problems include not having enough space for extra files.

But in general, it is hard for us to tell you anything about your computer that you don't know.

[Emeni Zaouali]

thanks nick for the answer

[Emeni Zaouali]

dear nick, it seems that i have a problem with all files in stata because when i create something it can not be opened. what can I do in this case, I'm depressed

[Nick Cox]

I am sorry you're depressed, but I have no suggestions to make except to contact StataCorp technical support. https://www.stata.com/support/faqs/t...-tech-support/

[Andrew Musau]

'can not open C:\Program Files (x86)\Stata13\inter.txt", what i can do to open the matrix file?

You probably do not have write access as Nick points out in #2. Try right clicking Stata's desktop app and select "Run as administrator".

[Sergiy Radyakin]

Emeni Zaouali

This is a fairly standard situation and you are asked to search the forum for it:
https://www.statalist.org/forums/for...pen-miest-ster
https://www.statalist.org/forums/for...ating-computer
and perhaps a dozen of other pages

Stata is trying to write a file to the directory where your user is not allowed to write. Hence the error message is correct.
Instead of trying to elevate your permissions (as Andrew recommends) simply specify a different output folder.

You can:

• write the full file name in every command you are typing, e.g. save "C:\DATA\mysurvey.dta"
• or change the working directory to some folder where you can write to:

cd "C:\DATA\"
save "mysurvey.dta"

Elevating your permissions may not be possible (if you are working on a server and not an admin) and is not desirable in this case (you are clearly trying to create output, not modify Stata installation as a program). Plus with such a limited understanding of what is going on and powerful admin privileges you can do a lot of damage.


Best, Sergiy