log2do.hlp

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Help for ^log2do^                                                Morten Andersen
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Converts Stata log files to Stata do files
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    ^logtodo^ logfilename[^, replace^]


Description
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^logtodo^ is made to convert ^log^ files to ^do^ files. It removes commands which led
to errors, retains comments, and handles long lines which were wrapped by
Stata. The file ^logfilename^ must be a the name of a ^log^ file (without its
extension). The resulting ^do^ file has the same name, but an extension of
.do. This command must be run on with an empty data set.


Options
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^replace^ must be specified to overwrite and already existing ^do^ file.


Examples
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    ^logtodo mylog^ 
    will take the ^log^ file ^mylog.log^, and create the ^do^ file
    ^mylog.do^. If the file ^mylog.do^ already exists, ^logtodo^ will complain and
    exit.

    ^logtodo mylog, replace^
    will take the ^log^ file ^mylog.log^, and create the ^do^ file ^mylog.do^. If the
    file ^mylog.do^ already exists, ^logtodo^ will overwrite it.


Notes
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While ^logtodo^ can handle most situations well, clever Stata programmers will be
able to create situations where it fails by creating lines in the log file
which mimic lines which Stata produces. Commands like ^disp ". nonsense"^ or
^disp "r(666);"^ or ^disp "> hee hee"^ will all cause logtodo to stumble. What twisted
mind would be entering such commands while creating a log file?


Author
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Bill Rising
Department of Biostatistics
Johns Hopkins University
brising@@jhsph.edu
(410) 955-2468