Stata Technical Bulletin
crc15
Parse bug
A bug has been reported in the parse programming command (see [5u] parse). The following program,
program define silly
local if ”req”
parse ,,'*z,'
di ’’The if expression is (4ifz)
end
does not work properly. It should require that an ie exp be specified but, in all cases, the parse reports “invalid syntax”
and returns 198. The program does work if ‘local if "opt"’ is substituted for ‘local if "req"’, but in that case, of course,
the program no longer requires that the if exp be specified. The bug is located inside the parse command and cannot be
fixed without recompiling and reissuing Stata. The bug will be fixed as of the next release, but in the meantime, the following
construct will work around the problem:
program define silly2
local if ’’opt”
parse ,,'*z,'
ɪf ll`ff'1∣==1∣1∣
di in red ,,if exp required”
exit 100
ɪ
di ’’The if expression is Cifz)"
end
crc16 Encapsulated PostScriptdriver
Although the manual ([3] printing) claims that gphpen’s PostScript control files produce encapsulated PostScript, the claim
is false. The files produced by the PostScript drivers shipped with Stata produce files suitable for printing on a PostScript printer,
but not files suitable for embedding in a document (such as a document created with WordPerfect).
The crc!6 directory on the STB-8 diskette contains true encapsulated PostScript drivers. There are four files: eps.pen,
eps.plf, epsc.pen, and epsc.plf. The eps files are for encapsulated PostScript on monochrome printers and the epsc files
are for color printers. The files are small, so there is no reason not to copy all four. Copy the four files to C:\STATA if you use
DOS and to ∕usr∕local∕stata if you use Unix; see the readme file in the crc!6 directory for detailed instructions.
Assuming filename, gp h is the name of your gph-file, you can then use gphpen to produce a true encapsulated PostScript file
by typing ‘gphpen filename /deps’ (monochrome) or ‘gphpen filename ∕depsc’ (color; Unix users: ‘gphpen -deps filename’
or ‘gphpen -depsc filename ’). Whether you use DOS or Unix, the result will be the creation of filename, e ps. (If you rename
eps.pen or epsc.pen to default.pen, you can dispense with the /d (-d) option on the gphpen command.)
The encapsulated PostScript file filename, e ps is not suitable for direct printing; it is suitable only for embedding in another
document. If you simply want to print your graph on a PostScript printer, continue to use the distribution PostScript control files.
os5 Running Stata under OS/2 2.0
Joseph Hilbe, Editor, STB, FAX 602-860-1446
Both the regular and Intercooled DOS versions of Stata can be successfully run under OS/2. Instructions follow.
Regular Stata
1. Migrate stata.exe into the Additional DOS programs folder if this did not automatically happen when you installed OS/2.
2. You will need to adjust EMS.MEMORY.LIMIT and install the DOS.DEVICE ansi.sys driver. Both are defined on the DOS
settings menu.
To get to the menu, click on the Additional dos programs folder and then click the right mouse button on the Stata icon.
Click on Open, Settings, Session, and dos settings.