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Accessing STB Programs

Stata 5 users

This section of the STB FAQ tells you how to obtain the STB "disks" via other sources.

Downloading the STB disks

• Go to the site.
• Enter the STB directory.
• The files are named stb01.zip, stb02.zip, ...
• All files from STB 24 on include the version of Stata with which they are intended to be used as part of the filename. For example, stb34v5.zip is intended for use with Stata version 5 or later.
• Download any that you wish. These files are suitable for use with Windows, DOS, Mac, or Unix.

While the real STB disks are in the natural format for your computer, be it Windows, DOS, Mac, or Unix, only .ZIP files are stored at the site. Nevertheless, they will work with any Stata if you know how to unzip them.

Unzip the .ZIP files

• Unzip the files into an empty, temporary directory.
• Remember to specify pkunzip's -d option to preserve the directory structure.
• Assuming you use DOS or Windows and have just copied file stb99.zip to the current directory, you could type

        > md stbtemp
        > cd stbtemp
        > pkunzip -d ..\stb99.zip

Install the official updates from only the MOST RECENT STB (All users should do this)

• DO NOT install official updates from any STB but the most recent STB; the updates are cumulative.
• The official updates are found in the stata directory of the temporary directory in which you unzipped the STB disk.
• Copy the files in the stata directory to the official ado directory.
• In doing this copy, you replace any already existing files.
• After you have copied the stata files, you can enter Stata and type help whatsnew to learn about the updates you have installed.

Example for Windows and DOS users:

• Download stb99.zip in binary mode
• Unzip stb99.zip by typing

        > md stbtemp
        > cd stbtemp
        > pkunzip -d ..\stb99.zip

• Install the official updates by typing

        > copy stata\*.* c:\stata\ado
        Overwrite ... (Yes/No/All)? A

Install community-contributed materials (optional)

• If installing an ado-file from an early STB (before STB-7), click here.
• If an insert in the STB is called sts23, there will be a subdirectory (folder) called sts23.
• For any insert that you wish to install, copy all the files in the subdirectory to your personal ado directory.

Example for Windows and DOS users:

• First, verify your personal ado directory exists:
  
  

  > dir c:\ado

  
  If you get the message "File not found", create your personal ado directory:
  
  

  > md c:\ado

  
  
• Then copy the sts23 materials to your personal ado directory:
  
  

  > copy sts23\*.* c:\ado

  
  If you were installing software for sts23.1, an update for sts23, and you had previously installed sts23, when you copy you will probably see
  
  

  > copy sts23\*.* c:\ado Overwrite ... (Yes/No/All)? A

  
  It is safe to overwrite in this case (and in most other cases, too).
  
  
• You can now erase the temporary directory (and the zip file). If you use DOS or Windows, you could type
  
  

  > deltree stbtemp Delete directory "stbtemp" and all its subdirectories? [yn] y > erase stb99.zip

  
  

Appendix: Where is the official ado directory?

• If you use Windows or DOS, it is probably C:\STATA\ADO, but it might be someplace else.
• If you use Unix, it is /usr/local/stata/ado
• If you use Mac, it is ~:Stata:ado. That is, it is the ado folder in the official Stata folder.
  
  In any case, the way to find out for sure is to enter Stata as you ordinarily do and then type adopath:
  
  

  . adopath [1] C:\STATA\ADO [2] C:\ADO [3] .

  
  
  The official Stata ado directory is the first one listed.

Appendix: Where is my personal ado directory?

• If you use Windows or DOS, it is probably C:\ADO, but it might be D:\ADO
• If you use Unix, it is ~/ado
• If you use Mac, it is ~:ado. That is, it is the ado folder in the same folder that contains the Stata folder.
  
  In any case, the way to find out for sure is to enter Stata as you ordinarily do and then type adopath:
  

  . adopath [1] C:\STATA\ADO [2] C:\ADO [3] .

  
  The next-to-the-last directory is your personal ado directory.