[U] User's Guide

[ U ] 18.13 References 253Technical noteIf you write a collection of programs, you need to somehow index the programs so that users(and you) can find the command they want. We do that with our contents.sthlp entry. You shouldcreate a similar kind of entry. We suggest that you call your private entry user.sthlp in yourpersonal ado-directory; see [U] 17.5.2 Where is my personal ado-directory?. This way, to reviewwhat you have added, you can type help user.We suggest that Unix users at large sites also add site.sthlp to the SITE directory (typically/usr/local/ado, but type sysdir to be sure). Then you can type help site for a list of thecommands available sitewide.18.11.7 Programming dialog boxesYou cannot only write new Stata commands and help files, but you can also create your owninterface, or dialog box, for a command you have written. Stata provides a dialog box programminglanguage to allow you to create your own dialog boxes. In fact, most of the dialog boxes you see inStata’s interface have been created using this language.This is not for the faint of heart, but if you want to create your own dialog box for a command,type. help dialog programmingThe help file contains all the details on creating and programming dialog boxes.18.12 A compendium of useful commands for programmersYou can use any Stata command in your programs and ado-files. Also, some commands areintended solely for use by Stata programmers. You should see the section under the Programmingheading in the subject table of contents at the beginning of the Quick Reference and Index.18.13 ReferencesBaum, C. F. 2009. An Introduction to Stata Programming. College Station, TX: Stata Press.Belsley, D. A., E. Kuh, and R. E. Welsch. 1980. Regression Diagnostics: Identifying Influential Data and Sources ofCollinearity. New York: Wiley.Gould, W. W. 2001. Statistical software certification. Stata Journal 1: 29–50.