README.TXT


The 1998 NES Pilot Study is released with the following files:


     RAW DATA AND SAS/SPSS DATA DEFINITION FILES
     -------------------------------------------
     NESPIL98.DAT    ASCII data for use with SAS/SPSS data definition file
     NESPIL98.SPS    SPSS data definition file
     NESPIL98.SAS    SAS data definition file


     SPSS PORTABLE FILE
     ------------------
     NESPIL98.POR    SPSS portable (transport) file


     SAS TRANSPORT FILE
     ------------------
     NESPIL98.XPT    SAS portable (transport) file **


     CODEBOOK
     --------
     INTPIL98.CBK    CODEBOOK INTRODUCTORY MATERIAL
     NESPIL98.CBK    CODEBOOK VARIABLE DOCUMENTATION
     APPPIL98.CBK    CODEBOOK APPENDIX MATERIAL


In addition, the file NESPIL98.TXT is included for users who wish to use
the NES 1998 Pilot data with the NESstat software included on the 1998
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.
The SAS transport file was created using PROC CPORT and must be imported 
using PROC CIMPORT (not Proc Copy).  In Windows the commands would be (for
example):
    libname copy 'c:\copy';
    run;
    filename trans 'c:\download\nespil98.xpt';
    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 file.
The filename statement assigns the tag "trans" to the location-filename of 
the transport file itself.

