Import a fixed-format ASCII file in Stata

The Stata .infix command reads an ASCII file in fixed format. You need to specify column locations of data items and/or data types, for example:

. infix id 1-4 str name 5-19 byte male 20 stat 21-25 using class.txt

Stata reads a float variable id from columns 1 through 4, a string variable name from columns 5 through 19, a byte variable male at column 20, and a float variable stat from columns 21 through 25.

Alternatively, you may write a data dictionary file (ASCII text format), class.dct, as follows:

infix dictionary using class.txt {
       float    id      1-4
       str      name    5-19
       byte     male    20-20
       float    stat    21-25
}

Then, run the .infix command with the dictionary file.

. infix using class.dct