When you use a data file, Stata reads the entire file into memory. If you try to use a file and the file in memory has unsaved changes, you need to use theĬlear option to tell Stata that you want to discard the changes, e.g., use auto, clear.īefore we move on to the next topic, let’s clear out the data in memory. Replace option, e.g., save auto, replace.Ģ. If you want to save a file over an existing file, you need to use the Stata tries to protect you from losing your data by doing theġ. If you really want to discard the changes in memory, then you need to use theĬlear option on the use command, as shown below. See how Stata refused to use the file, saying no data in memory would be lost? Stata did not want you to lose the changes that you made to the data sitting in memory. Suppose we want to use the original auto file and we don’t care if we lose the changes we just made in memory (i.e., losing the variable Let’s make another change to the data in memory by creating a variable called Replace option to tell Stata that you know that the file exists and you want to replace it.

Let’s try to save this data again to auto2 save auto2 file auto2.dta already existsĭid you see how Stata said file auto2.dta already exists? Stata is worried that you will accidentally overwrite your data file. Price3 which will be three times the value of price. Let’s make another change to the dataset. Let’s save this data and call itĪuto2 (Stata will save it as auto2.dta). The save command is used to save the data in memory permanently on disk. Note: dataset has changed since last saved Saving the changes, the changes we made would be lost. It is like when you are editing aĭocument if you don’t save the data, any changes you make will be lost. Stata knows that the data in memory has changed, and would need to be saved to avoid losing the changes. We also see a note from Stata sayingĭataset has changed since last saved. If we use the describe command again, we see the variable we just created is part of the data in memory. Price2 which will be double the value of price. Let’s make a change to the data in memory. For example, the summarize command gives summary statistics for the data Now that the data is in memory, we can analyze it. The describe command tells you information about the data that is currently sitting in memory. dta you need only say use auto and Stata knows to read in the file called The use command below gets the Stata data file called auto.dta from disk and places it in memory so we can analyze and/or modify it.

It is kind of like when you open a Word document you need to read a Word document into Word before you can work with it. A data file must be read into memory before you can analyze it. The use command gets a Stata data file from disk and places it in memory so you can analyze and/or modify it.

Copy log file into word stata