Basic Download

The Basic Download sub-tab, the first option within the Download tab, generates a data extract using preselected file formats based on the variables listed in the Selected Variables tab.

The Basic Download includes:

• Tagset (list of selected variables)
• Datafile of selected variables to be read by SAS® or SPSS®
• SAS® and SPSS® control files to read the data file
• STATA® dictionary file of selected variables
• Codebook of selected variables
• Comma-delimited data file of selected variables (to be read in Excel, etc.)

How to conduct a basic download

Similar to saving a tagset, enter a filename for the download package in the Filename field and click the Download button to generate the files. If no filename is provided, it will be labeled, default.

Note: Filenames may contain only letters, numbers, hyphens (-), and underscores (_). The downloaded files will be packaged in a .zip file.

The download status will appear under the Manage Downloads sub-tab, the fourth option within the Download tab. The results of a Basic Download will be listed in the downloads list using the filename previously entered. Click the corresponding filename link in the Name column to download the .zip file.

Note: Downloads may be deleted after 10 days of inactivity.

Zip file contents of a basic download

The files generated will have the following extensions and contents:

• .NLSY97 (or whichever cohort used) is the tagset used to open up the same list of variables at a later date (text file)
• .log is the log file from the download process (extract - text file)
• .dat is a data file to be read in by SAS or SPSS
• .sas is a SAS program to read in the data set
• .sps is a SPSS program to read in the data set
• .do is a STATA program to redefine the variables
• .dct is a STATA dictionary file of selected variables
• .cdb is a codebook of the selected variables (text file)
• .csv is a comma delimited file to be read in by Excel and other software