Where to Find It (Windows)

The Windows installer gives you options as to where to install the software. We'll describe the standard setup here.

Links to the software itself are typically installed in three places: an icon directly on the Start Menu, inside a folder on the Start Menu and inside a folder on the Desktop. The RATS software itself will be called "WinRATS zzzz 10.x" where zzzz is the product type (Std, Pro, Trial or Classroom) and 10.x is the specific version. If you have RATS Pro and a 64-bit operating system, you will also have a second executable with a name like "WinRATS zzzz 64 10.x" which is a 64-bit executable. (The WinRATS without the 64 in the name is a 32-bit executable. The 32-bit executable includes support for two data formats that haven't been ported to 64-bit (Haver and CRSP), but unless you need those, you should stick with the 64-bit if it's available).

The Start Menu and Desktop folders are similarly named something like "WinRATS zzzz 10.x" where zzzz is the product type and 10.x is the specific version. (Different releases will be installed into different folders). Inside those will be (links to the following):

•Links to the executables. Again, there will be two WinRATS Pro applications if you have Pro with a 64-bit operating system. There will also be a RATSData executable. (Since it isn't used that much, and to help avoid confusion, RATSData isn't included directly on the Start menu).

•Prior to 10.00f, possibly a "WinRATS Updater" application (not included with the trial or with network installations), which will check to see if you have the most current build of this version of the software, and if not, will let you download it. (Beginning with 10.00f, updates are handled within the software).

•"Manuals" has PDF versions of all of the RATS documentation.

•"Examples and Procedures" which includes our standard examples from the manuals, plus the main procedures. This is typically set as the default directory when you try to open a file within RATS.

•"Paper Replication Examples" includes subfolders with replications of important published papers.

•"Textbook Examples" includes subfolders with worked examples from over 30 textbooks.

•"Other Resources" includes subfolders:

•"Programming Manual" has the Enders-Doan "RATS Programming Manual" with examples.

•"Bayesian E-Course" has the RATS Bayesian Econometrics e-course with examples.

•"SEIR Model" has a workbook with examples for analyzing the SEIR model of contagion.

The executables and certain other components (such as the error message files) are actually installed into a directory within Program Files (x86)\Estima. The 64-bit applications are in a \x64 directory within that. The manuals and examples are (by default) installed into an Estima directory inside the Public documents directory. All of the above are links to those.