st: outsheet and insheet

["rasool.bux" <rasool.bux@aku.edu>]

Dear Statalist,

I have variables with multiple response codes in string variables. When I use outsheet with comma option and then use the insheet command again it converts the type of variables from string to numeric and omits the leading zeros from the values.

Example:

 +------------------------+
     |        var1       var2 |
     |------------------------|
  1. | 01-001-1-01   01001101 |
  2. | 01-018-3-02   01018302 |
  3. | 01-018-5-01   01018501 |
  4. | 01-019-1-02   01019102 |
  5. | 11-274-1-01   11274101 |
     |------------------------|
  6. | 11-275-1-01   11275101 |
  7. | 09-002-1-01   09002101 |
  8. | 09-013-1-02   09013102 |
  9. | 09-019-2-01   09019201 |
     +------------------------+

. desc
-------------------------------------------------------------
              storage   display    value
variable name   type    format     label      variable label
-------------------------------------------------------------
var1            str11   %11s
var2            str8    %9s
-------------------------------------------------------------

. outsheet using "tmp.csv", comma

. insheet using "tmp.csv", comma
(2 vars, 9 obs)

. list

     +------------------------+
     |        var1       var2 |
     |------------------------|
  1. | 01-001-1-01    1001101 |
  2. | 01-018-3-02    1018302 |
  3. | 01-018-5-01    1018501 |
  4. | 01-019-1-02    1019102 |
  5. | 11-274-1-01   11274101 |
     |------------------------|
  6. | 11-275-1-01   11275101 |
  7. | 09-002-1-01    9002101 |
  8. | 09-013-1-02    9013102 |
  9. | 09-019-2-01    9019201 |
     +------------------------+

. desc
-------------------------------------------------------------
              storage   display    value
variable name   type    format     label      variable label
-------------------------------------------------------------
var1            str11   %11s
var2            long    %12.0g
---------------------------------------------------

Is there any way to handle this kind of issue? Or there any option to retain the original type by using insheet.

Thanks & regards
Rasool Bux

________________________________

This e-mail may contain information that is privileged or confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete the e-mail and any attachments and notify us immediately.


*
*   For searches and help try:
*   http://www.stata.com/help.cgi?search
*   http://www.stata.com/support/faqs/resources/statalist-faq/
*   http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/stata/