README.TXT


 NES 1998 POST-ELECTION STUDY
 is released with the following files:


     RAW DATA AND SAS/SPSS DATA DEFINITION FILES
     -------------------------------------------
     NES1998.DAT    ASCII data for use with SAS/SPSS data definition file
     NES1998.SPS    SPSS data definition file
     NES1998.SAS    SAS data definition file


     SPSS PORTABLE FILE
     ------------------
     NES1998.POR    SPSS portable (transport) file


     SAS TRANSPORT FILE
     ------------------
     NES1998.TRA    SAS portable (transport) file **


     CODEBOOK
     --------
     INT1998.CBK    CODEBOOK INTRODUCTORY MATERIAL
     NES1998.CBK    CODEBOOK VARIABLE DOCUMENTATION
     APP1998.CBK    CODEBOOK APPENDIX MATERIAL


In addition, the file NES1998.TXT is included for users who wish to use
the NES data with the NESstat software included on the 1948-1997
NES CD-ROM.


**SAS TRANSPORT FILE NOTES:
--------------------------

Due to the manner in which SAS handles missing data definitions, the 
SAS transport file does not have in effect the missing data definitions 
found in the .SAS data definition file.
This transport file includes the formats catalog for predefined formats, 
which must be placed in an appropriately identified library.
The SAS transport file was created using PROC CPORT and must be imported 
using PROC CIMPORT (not Proc Copy).  PROC CIMPORT WILL create both the .sd2
system file and formats.sc2 catalog file.  In Windows the commands would be
(for example):
    libname copy 'c:\copy';
    run;    filename trans 'c:\download\nes1998.tra';
    proc cimport library=copy infile=trans;
    run;
(For other operating systems, the location and file naming conventions will 
differ.) The libname statement is for the location to place the .sd2 and
formats.sc2 files.  The filename statement assigns the tag 'trans' to the
location-filename of the transport file itself.
