Open password protected ".dta" file (I have the password)

[Hatim Tareq]

Dear All,

I have received data files (.dta) which is protected with a password (I have the password), I couldn't open it in Stata!

Could you please help me on how to open this file.

Regards,

[Nick Cox]

Unless I am missing something password protection is nothing to with Stata. So you need to feed your password to whatever wants it. I am puzzled by the implication that anyone on Statalist knows what you aren’t telling us.

[Richard Williams]

I could be wrong, but I don't think Stata has built-in password protection. My guess is that some other program created the password protection, and you would need to use that program to un-protect it.

[Hatim Tareq]

Hi Nick and Richard,

Thank you for your reply.

Its the first time to receive a protected dta file (and I know that there is no built in password protection, according to my knowledge and search).

I have tried different software's to open the file before posting my question, and I finally could open my file using the provided password.

Thank you for your help.

[Leonardo Guizzetti]

And what was the software that opened your data?

[Hatim Tareq]

I have used Quantyl Discovery.

Sorry for not mentioning it.

[Richard Williams]

I am glad I have never been sent such a file, because I have never heard of Quantyl Discovery.

The main lesson, of course, is that when security measures are in place, the people involved all have to understand them. If I was Hatim, I would have been very annoyed if I had to wait a few days before I could get anything done.