New version of stcmd for SSC

[Roger Newson]

Thanks as always to KIt Baum, a new version of the stcmd package is now available for download from SSC. In Stata, use the ssc command to do this, or adoupdate if you already have an old version of stcmd.

The stcmd package is described as below on my website The new version adds documentation in the online help for the /ex switch of Stat/Transfer, and has also been validated using the latest version of Stat/Transfer 15, which can input and output Stata 16 datasets.

Best wishes

Roger


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
package stcmd from http://www.rogernewsonresources.org.uk/stata13
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TITLE
stcmd: Run the Stat/Transfer st command from inside Stata

DESCRIPTION/AUTHOR(S)
The program stcmd runs the Stat/Transfer st command from inside Stata, if
Stat/Transfer is installed on the user's system. Stat/Transfer converts
data sets from one format to another (eg Stata to/from R). It is
available from Stata Corporation and manufactured by Circle Systems, and
further information can be found at http://www.stattransfer.com/. The
program inputst converts an existing non-Stata input file into a Stata
dataset in the memory, overwriting any existing data. The program outputst
converts the Stata dataset in the memory to a newly-created non-Stata
output file. The programs inputst and outputst require stcmd, and therefore
should not be downloaded alone. If the Stat/Transfer directory on the
user's system is not on the user's default path, then the user must set
the global macro StatTransfer_path to contain the path for the Stat/Transfer
st command, possibly in the profile.do file (see on-line help for details).

Author: Roger Newson
Distribution-Date: 30april2020
Stata-Version: 13

INSTALLATION FILES (click here to install)
stcmd.ado
inputst.ado
outputst.ado
outputstold.ado
stcmd.sthlp
inputst.sthlp
outputst.sthlp
outputstold.sthlp
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(click here to return to the previous screen)

[Stephen Jenkins]

Thanks , Roger. This is useful. However, I just tried updating using adoupdate and got the following

. adoupdate stcmd, update ssc
(note: ado update updates community-contributed files; type -update- to check for updates to official Stata)

Checking status of specified packages...

  [909] stcmd at http://fmwww.bc.edu/repec/bocode/s:
        package no longer available

(no packages require updating)

No longer available!! Yikes. And yet:

. ssc install stcmd, replace
checking stcmd consistency and verifying not already installed...

the following files will be replaced:
    d:\home\stephenj\ado\stbplus\s\stcmd.sthlp

installing into d:\home\stephenj\ado\stbplus\...
installation complete.

. which stcmd
d:\home\stephenj\ado\personal\stcmd.ado

Then I tried

. viewsource stcmd.ado

which resulted in

#delim ;
prog def stcmd;
version 6.0;
*
 Run the Stat/Transfer st command
 with parameters and switches supplied by the user.
 Author: Roger Newson
 Date: 12 November 2000
*;

shell "D:\Program Files\SPJ\StatTransfer8\st" `0' ;

end;

I was expecting to see a later date than 2000! Is there some glitch at SSC?

PS Might you consider adding a "*!" comment line at the start of the ado-file to add version and date info?

[Roger Newson]

Hi Stephen. I think what has happened in your case is that you have an ancient Stata 6 version of stcmd already installed.. I would guess that ths was done accidentally using the Stat/Transfer install wizard, which gives the user the option of installing this totally obsolete version. (And even I have made the mistake of opting for this before now!) The fix would be to type, in Stata,

ssc install stcmd, replace

If this fails, then you might log onto my website by typing, in Stata,

net from "http://www.rogernewsonresources.org.uk/stata13/"

and selecting and installing stcmd, forcing the overwriting of existing files. When this has been successfully completed, type

which stcmd

and the answer should be

c:\ado\plus\s\stcmd.ado
*!Author: Roger Newson
*!Date: 17 February 2014

The ado-files are still dated 2014, although the sthlp file was amended in the current update. I thought I might as well make ths minor amendment while checking that stcmd still works with the new Stat/Transfer 15, which I invested in last week.

I hope this helps. (Let me know if it doesn't.)

Best wishes

Roger

[Stephen Jenkins]

Thanks, Roger. Following your suggestion, I ran

which stcmd, all

and discovered a v. 6 version of stcmd lurking in PERSONAL on my system. Getting rid of that version, things appear to work as intended. I now see, as well, the discussion in the updated help-file as this being a potential issue.
thanks, Stephen

[Richard Williams]

Thanks much Roger. I was having the same problem as Stephen. Perhaps you should tell stat/transfer to get with the program and use the newest version of your files!

[Roger Newson]

Thanks to Richard for this suggestion. I have contacted Steven Dubnoff about this.

[Steve Dubnoff]

The latest Stat/Transfer is now installing a newer version of stcmd. Thanks to Roger for bringing this to my attention and thanks to all for using Stat/Transfer.

Best,

Steve