When I attempt to open my .dta data extract in STATA, the error code r(612) appears that the .dta file corrupt; The file unexpectedly ended before it should have. Is there anything I can do to fix this?
This is likely caused by one of two issues: either the file was not completely downloaded or it was incorrectly decompressed.
I would first make sure that wherever you’re downloading the file has enough space for both the compressed file and the uncompressed version (which will likely be several times larger than the compressed one). Make sure the entire file downloads; a weak internet connection can cause the download to stop midway.
Once the compressed file is downloaded, you will need to extract it using a decompression software. For Windows users we recommend 7-Zip. For Mac users, our suggestion is the Unarchiver. If you already have a default decompression program and you’re encountering an error, it’s possible to reassign the default to one of the programs mentioned above. In Windows, this is done by right clicking on the compressed file and selecting 7-Zip in the Open with menu. For Mac users, this is done in the preferences for Safari (Safari->Preferences->General ), or similarly in any other browser you’re using.
If you’re downloading data for multiple countries or years, I recommend additionally breaking this up into multiple smaller extracts (e.g., by country, decade, or region); note that IPUMS International includes a number of 10% samples that require their own extract.
If after implementing all of these suggestions, you’re still encountering this issue, please reach out to us at ipums@umu.edu so we can individually work with you to solve this issue.