help search, help findit dialog: search
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Title
[R] search -- Search Stata documentation
Syntax
search word [word ...] [, search_options]
set searchdefault {local|net|all} [, permanently]
findit word [word ...]
search_options description
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local search using Stata's keyword database; the default
net search across materials available via Stata's net command
all search across both the local keyword database and the net
material
author search by author's name
entry search by entry ID
exact search across both the local keyword database and the net
materials; prevents matching on abbreviations
faq search the FAQs posted to the Stata web site
historical search entries that are of historical interest only
or list an entry if any of the words typed after search are
associated with the entry
manual search the entries in the Stata Documentation
sj search the entries in the Stata Journal and the STB
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Menu
Help > Search...
Description
search searches a keyword database and the Internet.
Capitalization of words following search is irrelevant, as is the
inclusion or exclusion of special characters such as commas and hyphens.
set searchdefault affects the default behavior of the search command.
local is the default.
findit is equivalent to search word [word ...], all. findit results are
displayed in the Viewer. findit is the best way to search for
information on a topic across all sources, including the online help, the
FAQs at the Stata web site, the Stata Journal, and all other
Stata-related Internet sources. From findit, you can click to go to a
source or to install additions.
See [R] hsearch for a command that searches help files.
Options
local, the default (unless changed by set searchdefault), specifies that
the search be performed using only Stata's keyword database.
net specifies that the search be performed across the materials available
via Stata's net command. Using search word [word ...], net is
equivalent to typing net search word [word ...] (without options);
see [R] net.
all specifies that the search be performed across both the local keyword
database and the net materials.
author specifies that the search be performed on the basis of the
author's name rather than keywords. A search with the author option
is performed on the local keyword database only.
entry specifies that the search be performed on the basis of entry IDs
rather than keywords. A search with the entry option is performed on
the local keyword database only.
exact prevents matching on abbreviations. A search with the exact option
is performed across both the local keyword database and the net
materials.
faq limits the search to the FAQs posted on the Stata web site:
http://www.stata.com. A search with the faq option is performed on
the local keyword database only.
historical adds to the search entries that are of historical interest
only. By default, such entries are not listed. Past entries are
classified historical if they discuss a feature that later became an
official part of Stata. Updates to historical entries will always be
found, even if historical is not specified. A search with the
historical option is performed on the local keyword database only.
or specifies that an entry be listed if any of the words typed after
search are associated with the entry. The default is to list the
entry only if all the words specified are associated with the entry.
A search with the or option is performed on the local keyword
database only.
manual limits the search to entries in the Stata Documentation; the
search is limited to the User's Guide and all the reference manuals.
A search with the manual option is performed on the local keyword
database only.
sj limits the search to entries in the Stata Journal and its predecessor,
the Stata Technical Bulletin; see [R] sj. A search with the sj
option is performed on the local keyword database only.
Option for set searchdefault
permanently specifies that, in addition to making the change right now,
the searchdefault setting be remembered and become the default
setting when you invoke Stata.
Examples
. search kolmogorov-smirnov equality of distribution test
. search normal distribution
. search linear regression
. search regression
. search [R], entry
. search STB-16, entry historical
. search Salgado-Ugarte, author
Advice on using search
1. Capitalization does not matter. Search for Kolmogorov-Smirnov or
kolmogorov-smirnov.
2. Punctuation does not matter. Search for kolmogorov smirnov.
3. Order of words does not matter. Search for smirnov kolmogorov.
4. You may abbreviate; break at the syllables: search for kol smir.
search tends to tolerate a lot of abbreviation; it is better to
abbreviate than to misspell.
5. The prepositions for, into, of, on, to, and with are ignored. Use
them, or omit them; it makes no difference.
6. search is tolerant of plurals, but it is better to look up the
singular. Search for normal distribution, not normal distributions.
7. Specify the search criterion in English, not computer jargon.
8. Use American spellings.
9. Use nouns. Do not use "-ing" words. Search for median test, not
testing medians.
10. Use few words. Every word specified further restricts the search.
Search for distribution, and you get one list; search for normal
distribution, and you get a sublist of that.
11. Sometimes words have more than one context. The following words can
be used to restrict the context:
a. data, meaning in the context of data management.
b. statistics (abbreviation stat), meaning in the context of
statistics.
c. graph or graphs, meaning in the context of statistical graphics.
d. utility (abbreviation util), meaning in the context of utility
commands.
e. programs or programming (abbreviation prog), meaning in the
context of Stata programming.
Looking up error messages
In addition to serving as an index, search knows Stata's return codes and
can offer longer explanations than the commands issuing the errors do
themselves. For instance, say that you use test and,
. test ...
not possible with test
r(131);
131 is called the return code. To obtain more information on 131, type
. search rc 131
Also see
Manual: [U] 4 Stata's help and search facilities,
[R] search
Help: [R] help, [R] hsearch, [P] keyfiles, [R] net search, [R] sj, [R]
ssc, [U] 3.4 The Stata listserver
