help outfile dialog: outfile
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Title
[D] outfile -- Write ASCII-format dataset
Syntax
outfile [varlist] using filename [if] [in] [, options]
options description
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Main
dictionary write the file in Stata's dictionary format
nolabel output numeric values (not labels) of labeled variables;
the default is to write labels in double quotes
noquote do not enclose strings in double quotes
comma write file in comma-separated (instead of
space-separated) format
wide force 1 observation per line (no matter how wide)
Advanced
rjs right-justify string variables; the default is to
left-justify
fjs left-justify if format width < 0; right-justify if
format width > 0
runtogether all on one line, no quotes, no space between, and ignore
formats
missing retain missing values; use only with comma
+ replace overwrite the existing file
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+ replace is not shown in the dialog box.
Menu
File > Export > ASCII text
Description
outfile writes data to a disk file in ASCII format, which can be read by
other programs. The new file is not in Stata format; see [D] save for
instructions on saving data for later use in Stata.
The data saved by outfile can be read back by infile; see infiling. If
filename is specified without an extension, .raw is assumed unless the
dictionary option is specified, in which case .dct is assumed. If your
filename contains embedded spaces, remember to enclose it in double
quotes.
Options
+------+
----+ Main +-------------------------------------------------------------
dictionary writes the file in Stata's data dictionary format. See
infile2 for a description of dictionaries. comma, missing, and wide
are not allowed with dictionary.
nolabel causes Stata to write the numeric values of labeled variables.
The default is to write the labels enclosed in double quotes.
noquote prevents Stata from placing double quotes around the contents of
strings, meaning string variables and value labels.
comma causes Stata to write the file in comma-separated-value format. In
this format, values are separated by commas rather than by blanks.
Missing values are written as two consecutive commas unless missing
is specified.
wide causes Stata to write the data with 1 observation per line. The
default is to split observations into lines of 80 characters or
fewer, but strings longer than 80 characters are never split across
lines.
+----------+
----+ Advanced +---------------------------------------------------------
rjs and fjs affect how strings are justified; you probably do not want to
specify either of these options. By default, outfile outputs strings
left-justified in their field.
If rjs is specified, strings are output right-justified. rjs stands
for "right-justified strings".
If fjs is specified, strings are output left- or right-justified
according to the variable's format: left-justified if the format
width is negative and right-justified if the format width is
positive. fjs stands for "format-justified strings".
runtogether is a programmer's option that is valid only when all
variables of the specified varlist are of type string. runtogether
specifies that the variables be output in the order specified,
without quotes, with no spaces between, and ignoring the display
format attached to each variable. Each observation ends with a new
line character.
missing, valid only with comma, specifies that missing values be
retained. When comma is specified without missing, missing values
are changed to null strings ("").
The following option is available with outfile but is not shown in the
dialog box:
replace permits outfile to overwrite an existing dataset.
Examples
Setup
. sysuse auto
. keep make price mpg rep78 foreign
. keep in 1/10
List the data
. list
Write data in ASCII format to myout.raw
. outfile using myout
Display contents of myout.raw
. type myout.raw
Change the value of mpg in observations 1 to 20
. replace mpg = 20 in 1
Write data in ASCII format to myout.raw, overwriting the existing
myout.raw file
. outfile using myout, replace
Write data in ASCII format to myout.raw but write numeric values for
foreign rather than the labels
. outfile using myout, nolabel replace
Display contents of myout.raw
. type myout.raw
Write data in ASCII format to myout.raw in comma-separated format
. outfile using myout, comma replace
Display contents of myout.raw
. type myout.raw
Write data to myout.dct in Stata's dictionary format
. outfile using myout, dictionary
Display contents of myout.dct
. type myout.dct
Also see
Manual: [D] outfile
Help: [D] infile, [D] outsheet
