st: variable value is asterisk

["Heather Gold" <heg2001@med.cornell.edu>]

Dear Fellow Listers:

I've searched the FAQs,etc, but haven't been able to find a way to convert 
an asterisk (*) in a raw data file to a meaningful dummy variable in Stata. 
I'm using an -infix- command with dictionary, and use str in front of the 
variable name, but Stata doesn't read in the * and leaves the column blank. 
The urban variables listed below have a value of * or blank, indicating the 
metropolitan area is urban or not.
----
infix dictionary using msbeaf_02.txt {
str state 26-27
str st_cnty_ssa 30-34
str st_cnty 37-41
str MSA83 43-46
str urban1 47
str MSA84 49-52
str urban2 53
str MSA_3 55-58
str urban3 59
str MSA88 61-64
str urban4 65
}
-----

Any help greatly appreciated (including an already-created crosswalk of US 
MSAs to state-counties and flag of whether urban!),
Heather

*
*   For searches and help try:
*   http://www.stata.com/support/faqs/res/findit.html
*   http://www.stata.com/support/statalist/faq
*   http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/stata/