Michael S. Hanson ([email protected]) asked a followup question
about Stata checksum files:
> Thanks. For future reference, now that the executable is in a .tgz
> format, is the -checksum- setting superfluous in Mac OS X?
The -checksum- setting is most likely almost always superfluous when
it comes to a file being downloaded over the web by Stata. In fact,
we have never once heard of a file being corrupted while Stata was in
the process of downloading it.
Stata is always very careful to never download a partial file and then
try to use it. It always pulls down the complete file to a temporary
location before continuing.
I find checksums to be most useful to verify that when I think
I have the exact same file in two different locations, I really do.
Also, they are useful to verify that nothing has happened to an
important dataset or other file that you have left sitting somewhere
for a period of time.
Most people run Stata with -set checksum off-. I would only recommend
turning it on if you have reason to believe that your network connection
is causing you to download corrupt files, something we have never
heard of from a user when Stata is the program downloading the file.
--Alan
([email protected])
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