Sample Stata Configurations

Single configuration file with relative paths

  • Encouraged:
global basepath "C:/My Documents/Paper 15/"
global includes "${basepath}/includes"
global inputdata "${basepath}/inputdata"
global tables    "${basepath}/text/tables"
set matsize 11000

Use of relative paths in main program for inclusions

Discouraged:

include "C:\My Documents\yesterdays programs\submodule.do"
  • Encouraged:
include "includes/submodule.do"

or

include "${includes}/submodule.do"

Installing packages in a project-specific directory

Reset the “PERSONAL” ado directory. In the config file, include

sysdir set PERSONAL "$basepath/ado/personal"
sysdir set PLUS "$basepath/ado/plus"

Stata will then install the new extension into that directory instead of c:(source )

You can then create a single dependency file that is run before all others:

00_install.do:
/* run this only when updating the packages */
/* all packages necessary to run the main.do have */
/* been included in this replication package */
include "config.do"
ssc install package1
ssc install package2
ssc install package3

or even better, from here:

00_install.do:
/* run this only when updating the packages */
/* all packages necessary to run the main.do have */
/* been included in this replication package */
include "config.do"
/* Source: https://github.com/gslab-econ/template/blob/master/config/config_stata.do */
program main
    * *** Add required packages from SSC to this list ***
    local ssc_packages ""
    * *** Add required packages from SSC to this list ***

    if !missing("`ssc_packages'") {
        foreach pkg in "`ssc_packages'" {
            dis "Installing `pkg'"
            quietly ssc install `pkg', replace
        }
    }

    * Install packages using net
    quietly net from "https://somewhere.on.inter.net/repo/supercode/"
    quietly cap ado uninstall magic
    quietly net install magic
end
main

and in your main program

include "config.do"
package1 lhs rhs, param(param1)

will always work, because it no longer requires download, and fixes the version of the packages used.