Advanced Download: Create Download

The “Advanced Download” sub-tab provides two functions:

1. Create Download of Data (below)
2. Create Frequency / Table (next page)

When using either function, we can Apply Universe Restrictors to the data sets.

Create Download of Data

Compared to the basic download, the advanced download offers two additional types of files and also the flexibility to choose the type of files desired.

The additional types of files are:

• short description file (file extension .sdf) - a list of RNUM, survey year, a short variable title, and question name
• XML datafile (file extension .xml) - XML is a file format based on international standards and is used to share data between applications and systems that support the format

These basic download files are available in the advanced download as well:

• Tagset (list of selected variables)
• SAS® control file
• SPSS® control file
• STATA® dictionary file of selected variables
• Codebook of selected variables
• Comma-delimited datafile of selected variables (to be read in Excel, etc.)

IMPORTANT: Make sure that you check the “Tagset (list of selected variables)” box if you haven’t already saved your tagset separately. You will need the tagset file to reopen your tagset in Investigator at a later time.

You can name all of the generated files by entering a name into the box to the right of “Tagset File Name.”

To download a tagset, click the “Start Download” button at the bottom of the screen.

A new window will open to indicate the download status. When the download is complete, simply click the “click here” link to open or save the extract files.

The files that can be generated will have the following extensions and contents:

• .log file - the log file for the download process
• .cdb file - the codebook of the selected variables; this is a text file which can be opened in WordPad or a similar text editor
• .sas file - the SAS program to read in the data set
• .sps file - the SPSS program to read in the data set
• .do file - the STATA program to redefine the variables
• .NLSY97 (or whichever survey used) - the tagset, which you can use to open up the same list of variables at a later date; this is a text file which can be opened in WordPad or a similar text editor
• .dat - the data file to be read in by SAS or SPSS
• .csv - comma delimited file to be read in by Excel and other software
• .dct - the STATA dictionary file of selected variables