Import a .dat file to STATA/convert to .dta

[Brian Lopez]

I had to create a data extract from the website IPUMS-USA and upload it with STATA. We were instructed to open that data file in an unzip program, and it should load right to STATA.
This did not work for me. I found out I need it in a .dta file, while its currently a .dat file. I have no idea how to convert the .dat to a .dta or a way to upload the .dat to STATA. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[William Lisowski]

Welcome to Statalist, Brian.

My guess is that at IPUMS-USA on the "Extract Request" page you neglected to change the Data Format from the default to be a Stata format file. The easiest solution to your problem is to return to IPUMS-USA and try again. Perhaps there is an option to start with a previous request you made and modify it; if so, select that option, don't change any of your data requests, but just make the change to request a Stata format file.

[Brian Lopez]

Thank you for the response William. Do you have any idea on how that could be done? This is new to me, I have used STATA before, but the data was already provided and we simply had to download it, never had to create, extract etc

[William Lisowski]

On the image below, taken from the IPUMS-USA data request process I filled out, see the line that contains "Data Format: STATA". Originally, it said something other than STATA. I clicked on the word "Change" at the right side of the line, and in the screen that appeared, changed the Data Format to Stata. (For the record, the name of the software is Stata, not STATA, regardless of how IPUMS labels it.)

[Brian Lopez]

Thank you so very much for the help!