help cf dialog: cf
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Title
[D] cf -- Compare two datasets
Syntax
cf varlist using filename [, all verbose]
Menu
Data > Data utilities > Compare two datasets
Description
cf compares varlist of the dataset in memory (the master dataset) with
the corresponding variables in filename (the using dataset). cf returns
nothing (i.e., a return code of 0) if the specified variables are
identical and a return code of 9 if there are any differences. Only the
variable values are compared. Variable labels, value labels, notes,
characteristics, etc., are not compared.
Options
all displays the result of the comparison for each variable in varlist.
Unless all is specified, only the results of the variables that
differ are displayed.
verbose gives a detailed listing, by variable, of each observation that
differs.
Examples
Setup
. sysuse auto
. drop gear_ratio
. replace mpg = 20 in 1/2
. replace rep78 = 6 in 3
. save mycf
. sysuse auto
Compare the variables in memory with the variables in mycf.dta
. cf _all using mycf
Same as above, but give a detailed listing of the differences
. cf _all using mycf, verbose
Compare the mpg and foreign variables in memory with those variables in
mycf.dta
. cf mpg foreign using mycf
Same as above, but give a detailed listing of the differences
. cf mpg foreign using mycf, verbose
Same as above, but list all specified variables, even if there are no
differences
. cf mpg foreign using mycf, verbose all
Saved results
cf saves the following in r():
Macros
r(Nsum) number of differences
Also see
Manual: [D] cf
Help: [D] compare, dta_equal
