Run code on Stata GUI from VS Code on macOS. Sends code to the Stata GUI application and provides IntelliSense autocomplete for Stata commands and variables.
Notes before use: Make sure to select the correct Stata variant in the extension settings. The default is stataSE, but you may need to change it to stataBE or stataMP if you have a different variant installed.
Features
Run Code: Send selected code or the entire file to Stata
If text is selected, run the line of the selected text
If nothing is selected, the entire file is sent
Available via keyboard shortcut, editor title button, or right-click context menu
IntelliSense: Autocomplete suggestions for built-in Stata commands, user-defined commands, and variable names from Stata's memory
Variable Retrieval: Fetch variable names from the currently loaded Stata dataset for IntelliSense autocomplete
Manual retrieval via button
Automatic retrieval after running code
Timed auto-retrieval on a configurable interval
Demo
Run Code
IntelliSense:
Requirements
macOS
Stata (BE, SE, or MP; ≥ 17) installed on your Mac
A VS Code language extension that provides the stata language ID (e.g., Stata Enhanced)
Keyboard Shortcuts
Shortcut
Command
Description
Shift+Cmd+A
Run Code
Run the line of selected code or the entire file
Keybindings can be customized in VS Code's Keyboard Shortcuts editor. Shift+Cmd+P opens the Command Palette. Type "Open keyboard shortcuts" and select "Preferences: Open Keyboard Shortcuts".
Extension Settings
Cmd+, opens the Settings editor. Search for "code2stata" to find the extension settings. Alternatively, in the Extensions sidebar, click on the gear icon on the right of the extension card and select "Settings".
Setting
Default
Description
code2stata.whichApp
stataSE
Which Stata application to use (stataBE, stataSE, or stataMP)
code2stata.focusWindow
true
Bring Stata to the foreground when sending code
code2stata.autoLaunch
true
Automatically launch Stata when running code if it is not running
code2stata.autoRetrieveVariables
true
Automatically retrieve variable names on a timer
code2stata.autoRetrieveInterval
30
Seconds between automatic variable retrievals (minimum 5)
code2stata.retrieveTimeout
30
Minutes to wait for Stata to become free before variable retrieval fails
code2stata.userCommands
[]
Additional Stata commands/programs to include in IntelliSense autocomplete
Acknowledgments
This extension is based on stata-exec by Kyle Barron under the MIT License, and uses code from stataRun by PoidStotal. All errors are my own.
