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Notes on Viewing and Downloading Files


ASCII files - CSV files - Excel files - HTML/JSP files - MS Excel Viewer - MS PowerPoint Viewer - PDF files - SAS® files - SAS® Transport files - TXT files - Zipped/Self-Extracting files

The instructions below provide assistance for downloading several file types housed on the MEPS Web site. This gives you the opportunity to save many documents directly to your computer, including .txt, .pdf, .html, .shtml, .jsp, .ssp, .dat, .xls, .csv, and .ppt files. Image files associated with these files will not be included in the downloaded version.

ASCII files

We do not recommend viewing public use data files in ASCII format. To view SAS programming statements in ASCII format, left-click on the file link. To download an ASCII file while using Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox, right-click to bring up a menu and then left-click on "Save Target As" or "Save Link As" to bring up the "Save As" window

CSV files

To view a CSV file, left-click on the file link. To download a CSV file while using Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox, right-click to bring up a menu and then right-click on "Save Target As" or "Save Link As" to bring up the "Save As" window.

Excel files

To view an Excel file, left-click on the file link. To import HTML tables into Excel, go to Excel, choose Data tab, then choose Get External Data From Web (brings up New Web Query window). Copy and paste Web address of the table you want to import from the Internet into Address path of New Web Query window. Click Import button at bottom of same page. Direct addresses work most efficiently. Some URL strings may be too long for this process to work effectively.

HTML and JSP files

To view an HTML or JSP file, left-click on the file link. To download an HTML file while using Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox, right-click to bring up a menu and then right-click on "Save Target As" or "Save Link As" to bring up the "Save As" window. Please note that images associated with these files will not transfer.

PDF files

We recommend that users print the PDF versions of files (where applicable) rather than the HTML formats. The PDF versions of the documents on the MEPS Web site are designed for readability and to produce the most consistent results.

To view and print PDF files, you need Adobe® Acrobat® Reader™, a free software program you can download from the Adobe® Web site. To download a PDF file, right-click on the file to bring up a menu, then left-click on "Save Target As" or "Save Link As" to bring up the "Save As" window.

If you are unable to open or experience an error accessing a PDF file, please upgrade to the most recent version of Adobe Reader from the Adobe® Web site. Several potential resolutions are posted at Adobe Tech Notes:

  • Can't view PDF in web browser (Windows)
  • Error: "The Adobe Acrobat/Reader that is running cannot be used to view PDF files in a web browser..."

SAS files

We do not recommend viewing SAS files. To download a SAS file while using Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox, right-click to bring up a menu and then left-click on "Save Target As" or "Save Link As" to bring up the "Save As" window.

SAS transport files

We do not recommend viewing SAS transport files. To download a SAS transport file while using Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox, right-click to bring up a menu and then left-click on "Save Target As" or "Save Link As" to bring up the "Save As" window.

TXT files

To view files in TXT format, left-click on the file link. To download a TXT file while using Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox, right-click to bring up menu, then left-click on "Save Target As" or "Save Link As" to bring up the "Save As" window.

Zipped and self-extracting files

We do not recommend viewing zipped files or self-extracting files. Downloading data files in the compressed format (designated by the extension .zip or .exe) will significantly reduce download times. To uncompress and download, while using either Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox, right-click to bring up a menu. Then, left -click on "Save Target As" or "Save Link As," which will bring up the "Save As" window, and follow the directions of your zip file utility to download the file.

Compressed files greatly reduce download times. Files in zipped format can be uncompressed using a zip utility (see below). Files in self-extracting format have Windows® zip utility software built in; the data may be uncompressed by running (i.e., double-clicking) the downloaded executable.

If you do not have a zip file utility already installed on your computer, there are many vendors on the Internet who can provide zip file format utilities for Windows®, Mac®, Linux, and Unix.

   Page last revised:  July 12, 2024
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