What does "log using 'filename', replace" do? To create logs or to replace the existing ones?

[Tommy Jin]

Dumb question, but in my professor's notes it's to "create log in current folder." But isn't it followed by a "replace?"

[William Lisowski]

In general, within Stata, if you are creating a file in a given location, and Stata finds a file of the same name in the same location, it will give an error message and stop if you have not specified the replace option. The replace option - usually allowed on commands that create an output file - tells Stata that - if necessary - it is allowed to replace the existing file with the new one. If no such file exists, then the replace option is unnecessary, but causes no error. Think of "replace" as "replace if necessary".

[Tommy Jin]

Thank you William Lisowski for the help! Understood~