Re: st: importing txt file changes format of variable

[Arun Rajamohan <arajamoh@uwo.ca>]

I am not sure how huge your dataset is but if you can copy it and paste it into the data editor in stata and later splitting the variable (split var1) usually keeps all variables as string.

-A

On Feb 8, 2008, at 2:46 PM, Ms. Marilyn Ibarra wrote:

I have the following data in a txt file:

us_id       firm
000007       x
010234       y
321098       z
112411       w

When I import it into stata I get this:

us_id       firm
7            x
10234        y
321098       z
112411       w

Where the us_id changes in the first two observations (it changes for any observations that have a us_id with zeros at the beginning).  I need us_id to be a 6 digit id number for each firm (ncluding any zeros at the beginning).  This needs to be a string variable but is a numeric variable when imported into STATA.  

Have any idea on how to fix this problem?  

Thanks in advance,
Marilyn.

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Arun Rajamohan PhD

Department of Biology

Room 237, Biological & Geological Sciences Building

1151 Richmond Street North

The University of Western Ontario

London, ON N6A 5B7 CANADA

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