convert .dat files to either .dta, .shp, .bdf, or .csv

Question

I have downloaded spatial data from the USGS website that comes in a .dat format, which I can't read in textedit either - it just says "../ofr041189it03/vat.adf". I am familiar with STATA, ArcGIS, and GeoDA, so I was hoping to convert it into a type that can be read by any of these programs (preferably STATA), but don't know how. Any ideas?

Hospitaler

Answer 1

Open a New Blank Excel file

In Excel

1. Go to Data tab
2. Select From Text
3. Select the .dat file which you want to open(Note: Select "All files" in dropdown box)
4. Click Import
5. Check Delimited and click next
6. Deselect the tab and select Other and give "|"(Tab symbol) then click next
7. Click finish and Ok

Shannon

Still relevant after all these years. I'd add that steps 1-5 are as advertised, but I did't have to unselect 'tab' as in step 6. Imported just fine. For my situation, I was saving it as a .csv file for a mysql table import via mysql workbench. For the MySQL Workbench import to work for me, after it was imported in Excel, I had to "Save As.." and select MS-DOS Comma Separated.." as the file type before it would work for my import for the database. – Jordanjordana