Error (Java?) using -putdocx-

[Dirk Enzmann]

Using the following commands I receive a (Java?) error message plus an r(198) error:

sysuse auto

putdocx clear
putdocx begin

The result is:

. sysuse auto
(1978 Automobile Data)

.
. putdocx clear

. putdocx begin
java.lang.NoSuchMethodError: Method com.stata.sfi.DataFrame.dropVar(Ljava/lang/String;I)I name or signature does not mat
> ch
failed to create document
r(198);

end of do-file

r(198);

.

[Jorrit Gosens]

No such error here.
On Stata 15.1
Java Version 8 Update 181, build 1.8.0_181-b13
putdocx version 1.3.7 23apr2018


No real idea what else could be the issue

[Dirk Enzmann]

I am using the most recent update of Stata 15.1 (07 Aug 2018) running with Windows 7 (SP 1, Professional, version 6.1 - build 7601).

I don't know which Java version is installed on my computer. But this shouldn't be something that I need to take care of if I am installing Stata out-of-the-box, right?

[Jorrit Gosens]

Java wouldn't be installed or updated as part of a Stata installation.
I dont know if the error is produced by your Java or putdocx installation.
I was mostly trying to help by indicating it is not an issue that affects everyone. As its also not a syntax error, updating or re-installing either Java or putdocx would seem the first thing to try, though.

[Dirk Enzmann]

You may be right the that the installation of Java is a problem. The Windows Control Panel shows that Java 7, Update 71 (29.12.2014) is installed on my computer.

I wonder, however, how putdocx can work properly if it relies on Java properly installed if a Stata installation does not update or install Java. How can users know whether their Java installation is the one putdocx will need and how do we proceed to install Java properly?

Additionally, I wonder that my putdocx installation may be a problem. Isn't putdocx part of the normal Stata installation? How can it be reinstalled without reinstalling Stata itself?

[Dirk Enzmann]

... Perhaps I should add that I am using Microsoft Office Word 2003 (11.8411.8405), SP3 -- in case that putdocx needs a more recent version of Microsoft Office installed.

If this is the case, can't putdocx be used to create .docx-documents that can be opened with LibreOffice?

[Jorrit Gosens]

You're correct that putdocx is in Stata base. I looked over that. So provided you are updated there, not likely an issue, even if it could still have gotten corrupted somehow.
I wouldn't suspect an outdated Word installation to be an issue as the problem is in the file creation, not opening it.
I would still first attempt to reinstall or update Java and see if that fixes it. If not, I hope someone else is able to help you.
See Java's website on how to do so: https://www.java.com/en/download/hel...l_download.xml

[James Hassell (StataCorp)]

There is no need to install Java separately since Stata bundles the Java Runtime Environment with its installation.

To the original issue Dirk Enzmann raised...

java.lang.NoSuchMethodError: Method com.stata.sfi.DataFrame.dropVar(Ljava/lang/String;I)I name or signature does not match

This indicates there is something wrong with your Stata installation. Specifically one of the jar files putdocx relies on is either missing or incorrect. Since Stata is reporting that it is up-to-date, you should verify your installation using Stata's Installation Qualification Tool or completely reinstall Stata.

[Dirk Enzmann]

Thanks to James I could solve the problem: The Installation Qualification tool idendified two files with an invalid checksum:

• libstata-core.jar (in /utilities/jar/)
• sfi-api.jar (in /utilities/jar/)

After unistalling the Stata version completely, cleaning the registry, rebooting the computer, reinstalling Stata and updating to the most recent version the checksum problem was solved as well as the problem with putdocx issuing an error message.