[OS X TeX] Stata Estimates to LaTeX tables

[Fredrik Wallenberg]

I assume there are many users on this list that regularly convert Stata 
estimates into LaTeX tables and wanted to get some input from you. I 
know I should send this to the "real" tex list, but wanted to start in 
small scale :-)

There are a number of solutions available to get a stata regression 
output into LaTeX. If you only want one single regression, outtex 
provides a nicely formatted, if somewhat old, LaTeX code with 
sufficient features for most users. However, I almost exclusively 
report multiple versions/models which means I want to report them in 
multiple columns, one model per column. There are, to the best of my 
knowledge, two ways to do that. For the direct stata to LaTeX route 
there is the est2vec+est2tex package. The other option is to use outreg 
to get the output into Excel (actually it is only a tab separated text 
file) and then use the Excel2TeX macro to output into LaTeX.

While est2vec/tex is the best route as far as being direct, it lacks 
certain features that makes it less useful (and/or adds significant 
post-processing anyway).

My goal is to extend est2vec and est2tex to provide (myself with) a 
better solution. Before I get started I wanted to see if I could get 
some input on this (and maybe even some help :-)

If I get enough people to show interest I would consider setting up a 
sourceforge project for this... if anyone has experience with that, let 
me know.


Est2Vec (storing the relevant information in matrices for later export 
to Latex)
-----------

Exponential Output
One limitation I've found here so far is the ability to report 
exponential forms of the estimates and standard deviations. Lifting 
code from -outreg- I have already added the option -eform- to -est2vec- 
and it seems to be working (but needs more testing).

Manual Variables
I find that I frequently want to report a table with several control 
variables (such as state dummies) suppressed). I am considering 
allowing the user to add one (or more) lines to the end of the variable 
lists. For example EXTRAVAR(State Dummies)(yes) would add a new 
variable named "State Dummies" with a value "yes" to the coefficient 
matrix (and probably an empty observation in the errors matrix).

Is there anything else missing??


Est2Tex (create and save LaTeX files from information stored in 
matrices by -est2vec-)
-----------

Significance Marks
My first goal here is to allow the use of "fancy" significance marks. 
Both -est2tex- and -outreg- simply use *, **, *** (or +,*,**). -Outtex- 
however defines \onepc, \fivepc and \tenpc for a much more elegant 
output. Further, -outtex- also (depending on options) puts the 
estimates and the significance in separate columns (r @{} l). There are 
two ways to implement the latter, one is using the same approach as 
-outtex-, the other is to use the package -dcolumns-. The latter would 
be nicer if I could get it to work (so far it doesn't like macros in 
the columns and I might have to use the -outtex- approach). An 
extension would be to suppress the definition of the significance terms 
(\onepc etc) in each table and rely on those being defined in the 
header of the document. A similar flag would probably be added for 
-dcolumn- column types (if I decide to use -dcolumn-). Implementation 
through a new FANCY2 option (or something like that).

Standard Error formatting
-Est2tex- currently does not allow me to put standard errors within 
brackets (rather than parenthesis) or include them without a 
parenthesis. The former is an option for -outreg- and the latter is an 
option for -outtex- but I don't know if it should be a priority... let 
me know if this is important to include. Implementation options: NOPAR 
BRACKET

Long table
-Outtex- allows the use of the -longtable- package and I find that a 
necessity for many of my long regression results. This would be 
implemented with LONG_TABLE option.

Table
-Est2tex- produces -tabular- output that the user then has to put into 
a -table- wrapper should (s)he want a float and/or want a caption and 
label for the table. I am considering adding a TA_BLE option that would 
also be assumed if the user adds either CAP_TION() or LA_BEL()

Booktabs
I just learned about the package -booktabs- that makes the table 
conform closer to predominant publishing standards. I would consider 
enabling it as part of the FANCY2 option.


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