USECSPRO: Interactive mode

Interactive mode is most convenient for the users that just need to convert one or two files. It is also most useful when working with a new unfamiliar dataset, the layout of which is not apparent. To start working in the interactive mode type: usecspro. Windows users will get a dialog window of the data import wizard, which requires just a few items to be selected by the user.
  1. CSPro dictionary file (*.dcf) - click the 'Open dictionary' button and select the proper dictionary file.
  2. Select data level - after the dictionary file is opened, the data levels are read in and the user can select from them. Data can be imported from a single level at a time. Note that most dictionaries contain a single data level, and the first contained level is automatically selected by the program when the dictionary is opened.
  3. Select data record - dictionary records of a particular selected level are listed. Select the record to import. Most files contain multiple records. Most dictionaries are organized by sections, for example: household location and situation, individual roster, individual education, individual employment, individual health status and history, etc. Select the record type that contains variables necessary for your analisys. Sometimes variables of interest can be in multiple sections.
  4. Select CSPro data file (*.dat) - click the 'Open data' button and select the proper data file. Note that some CSPro data files do not have any extension, and are not shown when the file filter (*.dat) is active. Select (*.*) if necessary.
  5. Export Stata dataset - click this button to start importing data to Stata.

Interactive use is also possible across all platforms with the help of clickable links in the Stata output window. Start with the command cspro dir, for example:

Stata responds with the list of the avaialble CSPro dictionaries in the specified directory. If no directory were specified, then in the current directory. Each dictionary file is listed along with it's dictionary label and version of the CSPro software that created (or modified) ths file. File names are clickable, and after a click Stata responds with a list of levels in the clicked file, here a one-level file is clicked:

Here the levels are clickable again, and clicking on the level name brings the list of the records at the selected level:

Finally, after a particular record is clicked, Stata starts importing the data corresponding to the selected record:

Note that in the interactive click-mode we never specified, which data file should be used. We have only specified the dictionary file. It is assumed that the data is saved into a file in the same directory as the dictionary, with the same file name except the extension is .dat. If your data is having different extension or no extension, rename the file appropriately in advance.