Title

sposthelp -- Getting help for SPost problems

Overview

If you are having a problem, here is what we suggest after you have
read the relevant sections in our book and the help files for the command
you are having problems with.

Step 1. Update Stata and SPost.

Step 2. Check your data and model.

Step 3. If it is an m* command, look at the -margins- output.

Step 4. Send us a do-file, log file, and data that shows the error.

Step 1. Update Stata and SPost

Step 1a. Install the most recent update to Stata. Type -help update- in Stata.

Step 1b. Install the latest version of SPost using -adoupdate, update-.

Step 1c. In rare cases, you will need to uninstall SPost and then reinstall it.

Step 2. Check your data and model.

Step 2a. Check your descriptive statistics to make sure your variable
are what you think they are.

Step 2b. Try a simpler specification of the model using the same data. Start with
a single predictor. If that works, continue to add one variable at a time
till the problem occurs. Verify that the variable causing problems is
correct.

Step 2c. Include only letters, numbers, and underscores in your value labels.
This shouldn't be a problem, but sometimes it is.

Step 2d. Try the same analysis with another dataset to determine
if your problem is data dependent. Before you do this, you might
try Step 3 first.

Step 3. Is the error caused by -marigns-?

Step 3a. The -m*- commands are based on Stata's -margins- command. If the
error message comes from -margins-, it might not be a problem with the
SPost command.

Step 3b. Run the -m*- with the -details- option. For example,
-mtable, at(female=(0 1))- becomes -mtable, at(female=(0 1)) details-.
If the error is generated by -margins-, look at the -margins- documentation.

Step 4. Send us a sample program that shows the problem.

Step 4a. Do not send large files or zip files since they might
be rejected by the IU system.
Ideally, create a Dropbox folder and send an invitation.

Step 4b. Create the simplest do-file that generates
the problem.

Step 4b1. Log the output to a text file,
not a smcl file (e.g., -log using jslong, text replace-).
Send the log file along with the do-file and the data.

Step 4b2. Include your name and contact information.

Step 4b3. Briefly describe the problem.

Step 4b4. Add the command -spost13which-.

Step 4b5. Load the data. Do not refer to specific directories.
For example, do not: -use c:\data\project3\sample.dta-. Instead,
-use sample.dta-.

Step 4b6. Include descriptive statistics for the variable
used in the commands that cause a problem.
For categorical variables, tabulate the values.

Step 4b7. Add the commands that create the error.
Delete all commands not needed to demonstrate the error.

Your do file might look like this:

capture log close

log using scott_long, replace text

// scott long - 2014-09-01 (jslong@indiana.edu)

// mtable includes missing values in the predictions

spost13which

use scott_long_data, clear

// descriptive statistic look fine

desc y x1 x2

tab y

sum x1 x2

// logit model gives reasonable results

logit y x1 x2

// error: the change coefficients for x2 are missing values

mtable, at(x1=(0 1))

log close

exit