Problem Importing CSV Files

[BRETT MASSIMINO]

I'm running into an issue with the CSV import function via import wizard in Stata 15. When I open the wizard (by going to File-->Import-->Tex File (.csv)), the wizard opens properly. But, when I click on the "Browse" button to find the CSV file, stata just closes entirely, without asking to save any open do files or data.

Are there any fixes for this?

[James Hassell (StataCorp)]

Hi Brett,

First type update all in the command window to see if you are up to date. If there is an update available, apply it, and see if that addresses the issue.

If that does not fix the issue, please email [email protected] and provide information about your operating system so we can attempt to duplicate the problem.

[William Lisowski]

Let me add that I too have been on the verge of writing about this very problem, and will be contacting Tech Support.

For the benefit of others, I'm running Stata/SE 15.1 for Mac (64-bit Intel) Revision 20 Dec 2017 on macOS 10.12.6. That is, I have yet to upgrade to High Sierra and am still running Sierra.

The symptom is that after selecting File > Import > Text data (delimited, *.csv, ...) and clicking Browse (because it is not possible to type a filename or path into the dialog box), the file selection window opens but does not react to mouse clicks, and eventually the spinning beach ball of death appears, and sooner rather than later I force quit Stata.

[Chinh Nguyen (StataCorp)]

The symptom is that after selecting File > Import > Text data (delimited, *.csv, ...) and clicking Browse (because it is not possible to type a filename or path into the dialog box), the file selection window opens but does not react to mouse clicks, and eventually the spinning beach ball of death appears, and sooner rather than later I force quit Stata.

Restart your Mac and temporarily disable login items by holding down the shift key while logging in (https://support.apple.com/kb/PH25590?locale=en_US). If the problem goes away, you've got a utility that's automatically launched that's causing the problem. I think a user had a similar problem as yours and it turned out that they were using the Magnet window manager utility which was causing the file dialog to lock up.

[William Lisowski]

Window manager was it. In my case, I use Witch (a System Preference pane) and turning it off from its Preference window was sufficient to eliminate the problem. This solves the problem for me; I import files so infrequently that I don't have to abandon Witch, just remember to turn it off.

Many thanks! Technical Services can close out my ticket.

[Ronán Conroy]

Me too. And again it was Witch that froze Stata. It's very curious – it doesn't happen with the import excel wizard, or with any other dialog that has a browse button…

[William Lisowski]

For what it's worth, I reverted to my prior window manager, Contexts, which had improved over the time I was using Witch and now better met my needs, and I have had no problems.

Added in edit: maybe not, perhaps I didn't test thoroughly. Today's test shows the problem recurring using Contexts. Ah, well, at least I have a window manager I'm happier with.

[Chinh Nguyen (StataCorp)]

Me too. And again it was Witch that froze Stata. It's very curious – it doesn't happen with the import excel wizard, or with any other dialog that has a browse button…

Some dialogs in Stata, including what we call the import delimited dialog, are written in Java and use Java file dialogs. The majority of dialogs in Stata that open file dialogs after a browse button is clicked use native macOS file dialogs. I believe the window managers are not robust to the Java file dialogs.

[Chung Nguyen]

Some dialogs in Stata, including what we call the import delimited dialog, are written in Java and use Java file dialogs. The majority of dialogs in Stata that open file dialogs after a browse button is clicked use native macOS file dialogs. I believe the window managers are not robust to the Java file dialogs.

Chinh Nguyen, I stuck with my problem - Stata 15 - my tool to help me approach DSGE model.

Would you please give me some hint, some source to approach stata 15 or your email, let me explain clearly for you about my idea.

Thanks alot for your help - by the way, I am Vietnamese.

Please help me.

My email: [email protected]

[Nick Cox]

Chung: It seems that you have a question on DSGE. Please start a new thread and tell people what the question is.

https://www.statalist.org/forums/help#private explains about not asking for private replies.

[Chung Nguyen]

Thanks Nick, I will do it now,

[Mihai Paraschiv]

For me it was an issue with the path to the Java Virtual Machine that STATA was calling on. set java_vmpath "C:\Program Files (x86)\Stata14\utilities\java\windows-x64\jre1.8.0_121\bin\server\jvm.dll" did the trick.