DBANK for Windows at the STATLAB

DBANK is an interactive program that copies time-series data from a formatted databank into a file readable by many econometric and statistical packages. DBANK is easy to use, and internally documented via its HELP command.

The Statlab server has the following data series for use with DBANK:
For current data in these series (not in Dbank format), check StatCat

• DRI Basic Economics 1946- February 1994 in Dbank format (formerly known as CITIBASE)
• Government Finance Statistics (IMF) (1971-July 1998)

On the Statlab workstations, start the DBANK program:

• Click the Dbank for Windows Icon in the Windows Applications group.
• Double-click at one of the databases, like citibase.mdb or click at the file drawer to open the database.

Get information on a database

• Click at File/Memo

Exit the DBANK program:

• Click at File/Exit.

Searching for Series

• If you don't know the code of the series you would like to retrieve, use: File/Query and enter a title word (i.e. GNP). A list of all series in the database with GNP in the title is displayed.
  If you know the first two letters of the code (i.e. gn), you can speed up the search with Group/Query which searches only the series in the current group (make gn the current group first!)
• Tag the series you want to export by double-clicking the series names.
  If you already know the series code, you can tag using the box which displays the code of the series.
  
  Hint: If you click a series code just once, the title is displayed at the bottom

Exporting Tagged Series

The data of the series you have tagged can be exported using different formats, such as SAS, GAUSS, LOTUS, etc. Usually Dbank creates two files an ASCII file with the data (extension *.asc) and a program file which lets you import the data into your program (like a SAS *.sas file or GAUSS *.cmd file)

1. Select Tagged/Tools/Export. Do not use the 1-2-3 Button.
2. Select Format. If you choose Execl format, you must also choose Create PRN (ASCII) file. The DDI and OLE options are not available with this setup.
3. Enter name of Output File. Use the c:\temp\ or d:\temp\ area for your output file.
4. Edit the Boundaries.
5. Select Frequency.
6. Click at Do It.
7. If you want to export more series but to a different file, select File/Close to close the output file.

Other Features

Dbank for Windows lets you do statistics and plots on your tagged series. Take a look in the Tagged Menu.
There are buttons for common tasks, move the mouse pointer on one of the button and a description is displayed.