re: st: merging multiple files in stata

[Christopher Baum <kit.baum@bc.edu>]

<>
As Nick says, you should use the new -merge- syntax if you can. It is dangerous to use the old -merge- syntax without one of the uniq* options.



clear all
set mem 500m


use "C:\UserFiles\physndata.dta", clear 
compress 
rename pp_mnth mnth sort bene_id mnth, stable
keep bene_id mnth pp_mnthexp save "C:\UserFiles\temp_physn.dta", replace

AT THIS POINT YOU THROW AWAY WHAT YOU HAVE DONE SO FAR

use "C:\UserFiles\hspsdata.dta", clear 
compress 
rename hs_mnth mnth sort bene_id mnth, stable
keep bene_id mnth hs_mnthexp save "C:\UserFiles\temp_hsps.dta", replace

AT THIS POINT YOU THROW AWAY WHAT YOU HAVE DONE SO FAR

use "C:\UserFiles\temp_physn.dta"
merge bene_id mnth using "C:\UserFiles\temp_hsps.dta"

sort bene_id mnth
drop _merge

AT THIS POINT YOU THROW AWAY WHAT YOU HAVE DONE SO FAR

use "C:\UserFiles\opmnth.dta", clear 
compress 
rename op_mnth mnth sort bene_id mnth save "C:\UserFiles\temp_opmnth.dta",
replace

use "C:\UserFiles\NT\suraphl\temp_opmnth.dta"
merge bene_id mnth using "C:\UserFiles\temp_hsps.dta" 
sort bene_id mnth
drop _merge

......

After you alter a file, save it under a different name. Then use that name in a following command.

Kit


Kit Baum   |   Boston College Economics & DIW Berlin   |   http://ideas.repec.org/e/pba1.html
                             An Introduction to Stata Programming  |   http://www.stata-press.com/books/isp.html
  An Introduction to Modern Econometrics Using Stata  |   http://www.stata-press.com/books/imeus.html


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