Using OSIRIS Data Files on the STATLAB Network:
Converting with Stat/Transfer

Stat/Transfer converts datasets between different software formats. It supports a whole range of formats, from ASCII text files to Excel spreadsheets and SAS datasets. It also translates a variety of UNIX and Macintosh files.
The instructions and examples below explain how to use OSIRIS data files from a computer directly connected to the StatLab NT Server.

OSIRIS data sets consist of two files: a dictionary file and a data file. These files must have the same file name and the file extensions must be .dict and .data for Stat/Transfer to operate properly If the files are not named this way, please contact the Statlab consultant.

Using StatTransfer

1. Start Stat/Transfer by clicking the Stat/Transfer icon in the Windows Application Group. This brings up a tabbed dialog box.
2. With the TRANSFER tab at the front, choose the type of dataset you would like to convert from the pop-up menu labeled "Input File Type" (the question mark button gives information on the selected file type). In the case of reading in OSIRIS datasets, you must choose OSIRIS in this step.
3. Click on the first "Browse..." button to specify the input file through a standard Windows dialog, or type in the full pathname. When naming the input file, you must give the file with the .DICT extension (the dictionary file) as the input file. Stat/Transfer will then look in the same directory for a file of the same name, but with the .DATA extension and will read the input data from this file.
4. In the bottom half of the TRANSFER tab, use the "Output File Type" pop-up menu to choose the type of output file.
5. Use the lower "Browse..." button to specify the name of the output file, or type in the full pathname yourself.
6. Click on the "Transfer" button to convert the file. You can repeat Steps 2 through 6 to translate multiple files.
7. Click the "Exit" button to quit Stat/Transfer.

Other goodies

1. Use the VARIABLES tab to select (check) only those variables you wish to convert. You can use the "Select All" and "Unselect All" buttons on the right side of the screen to check or uncheck all of the variables.
2. Use the OBSERVATIONS tab to select specific observations. At the bottom of the screen there is a line with a where statement. To select variables, complete the where statement with the condition you would like your observations to fulfill. For example, "where age >= 18" would convert only those observations in a file that were 18 years or older. The main window on the left provides help for the where statement.

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