st: -datacheck- data management utility available via SSC

[<Krishnan.Bhaskaran@lshtm.ac.uk>]

A new data management utility -datacheck- is now available from SSC.
(Many thanks to Kit Buam).
 
-datacheck- is a simple utility for carrying out data checks and
reporting on problems or errors in a dataset. A -datacheck- statement
specifies a condition which one or more variables in the dataset must
meet. For example, you might specify checks for missing data, range
checks, or more complex consistency checks between or within variables.

 
If the data “fail” the check, the program displays meaningful and
customizable output identifying the problem observation(s). In contrast
to Stata's -assert- command, -datacheck- does not halt Stata or produce
any errors, so a number of -datacheck- statements can be included in a
do-file to run in sequence. This allows a suite of data checks to be
performed in a single run, with the customized output serving as a
user-friendly log detailing problems with the data. 
 
(for details)
. ssc describe datacheck
 
(to install)
. ssc install datacheck 
 
(for pdf documentation, and an example do-file with associated
datasets)
. net get datacheck
 
Please note the utility was presented at the UK Stata Users' Group
Meeting some time ago, under the previous name "assertk".
 
 
 
______________________________________________
Dr Krishnan Bhaskaran
Lecturer in Statistical Epidemiology
Dept of Non-Communicable Diseases Epidemiology
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Keppel Street
London
WC1E 7HT
 
 
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