Re: st: -build_directives- and -project- command

[Robert Picard <picard@netbox.com>]

No problem, there's a lot to absorb when starting out with -project-.
I'm working on a more compact demo project that uses real life data.
The current demo shows little interaction between do-files (all
examples are pretty much self-contained and not dependent on the
output from other examples) so it's easier to miss the logical
connection between -uses()-, -original()-, and -creates()-. I'll post
a note when it is ready and uploaded.

Robert

On Sat, Jul 20, 2013 at 1:49 PM, Roberto Ferrer <refp16@gmail.com> wrote:
> Yes, it clarifies a lot.
>
> I was under the wrong impression, due to misreading of some log file,
> that -project, uses()- was actually loading something. This made me
> question the description of the help file.
>
> Again, thank you.
>
> Roberto
>
>
>
> On Sat, Jul 20, 2013 at 5:11 PM, Robert Picard <picard@netbox.com> wrote:
>> Actually, the build directives do not load any file, they are just
>> there to record the dependencies within -project-. There are many ways
>> that a do-file can depend on a dataset that do not involve the -use-
>> command. Let's say that you have two datasets that were created
>> (saved) upstream in different do-files and now you want to merge them:
>>
>> project, uses("prices.dta")
>> project, uses("cpi.dta")
>> use "prices.dta"
>> merge m:1 year using "cpi.dta"
>> [... do some stuff]
>> save "prices_cpi.dta"
>> project, creates("prices_cpi.dta")
>>
>> In terms of dependencies, "cpi.dta" is used by the do-file even though
>> it is loaded from a -merge- command. Note that the above code will
>> produce an error if there are no prior -project,
>> creates("prices.dta")- and -project, creates("cpi.dta")- in the
>> do-files that created them. If you found these files on a web site
>> instead, then you would use instead:
>>
>> project, original("prices.dta")
>> project, original("cpi.dta")
>> use "prices.dta"
>> merge m:1 year using "cpi.dta"
>>
>> The different types of dependency are used to check the logic of what
>> you are doing. You cannot create a file that is already in the
>> project. You cannot state that a file is an original if it has already
>> been created upstream. You cannot use a file (in the sense of
>> -project, uses()-) unless it was created in the project.
>>
>> Hope this helps,
>>
>> Robert
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Jul 20, 2013 at 10:12 AM, Roberto Ferrer <refp16@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Regarding the user-written package -project- by Robert Picard and
>>> installed using:
>>>
>>>  net from http://robertpicard.com/stata
>>>
>>> I'd just like to comment and get some feedback on:
>>> In terms of the -build_directives- commands, in the help file I think
>>> it would be a good idea to state that -uses- actually loads the
>>> specified file. This is in contrast to -original-, for example, that
>>> must be specified along with a default Stata command such as -use-:
>>>
>>>     project, original("`pdir'/data/stata/college.dta")
>>>     use "`pdir'/data/stata/college.dta"
>>>
>>> The reason for being explicit is simply the definiton of
>>> -build_directives- given in -help-: "Your include build directives in
>>> do-files to INDICATE each do-file's dependencies". (My capitals.
>>> "Your" must be a typo and should read "You".) Furthermore, it would be
>>> nice to have something like:
>>>
>>> project, uses(file_name) [original, created]
>>>
>>> that substitutes both -original- and -uses-, loading the data AND
>>> flagging the dependency. Don't know how difficult this actually is or
>>> if it even makes sense.
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>> Roberto
>>> Stata 12.1 (64-bit)
>>> Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE)
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