Delimited text and command file format?

[Enrique Prada]

Dear all,

I have a doubt regarding Stata data file formats. In the research project that I am currently working we are using a Guide that recommends the following format for the datasets that we will generate: delimited text and command ('setup') file (SPSS, Stata, SAS, etc.). They distinguish this format from the proprietary Stata format (.dta) but also from comma-separated values (.csv) format. I only know the last two formats, not the first one (the one that is recommended in our case). So, I would like to know how can we turn the datasets that we will generate (which will be in .dta) into the format that is specified in the Guide.

Here is a link to the guide: https://www.openaire.eu/data-formats-preservation-guide

In any case, they don't explain the matter in more detail. I have also looked at help dta but I couldn't find an answer there either.

If anyone knows what type of format is this, or can point at any document which can clarify this to me, I would very much appreciate it.

Thank you.

[Rich Goldstein]

I do not understand exactly what they are looking for see the 3rd and 4th syntaxes in

help import_delimited

[Clyde Schechter]

I believe what they are asking you to do is to export your Stata dataset to a delimited text format: .csv will be acceptable for that. They also want you to then provide a Stata do-file that re-imports that delimited text file and applies value labels and variable labels, and perhaps other things like characteristics, as needed to reproduce the original Stata dataset.

[Enrique Prada]

Thank you very much, Clyde and Rich!

Clyde, I think you are right: I have found some sources that refer to Stata setup files in a similar way as you do (as do-files with the necessary information to read the text format files). For instance:

https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/web/ICPSR/cms/1976

https://dans.knaw.nl/en/file-formats/statistical-data/

Thanks!