{smcl}
{* *! version 1.2.1  07mar2013}{...}
{findalias asfradohelp}{...}
{vieweralsosee "" "--"}{...}
{vieweralsosee "[R] help" "help help"}{...}
{viewerjumpto "Syntax" "examplehelpfile##syntax"}{...}
{viewerjumpto "Description" "examplehelpfile##description"}{...}
{viewerjumpto "Options" "examplehelpfile##options"}{...}
{viewerjumpto "Remarks" "examplehelpfile##remarks"}{...}
{viewerjumpto "Examples" "examplehelpfile##examples"}{...}
{title:Title}

{phang}
{bf:readhtmltable} {hline 2} Read a web page and convert any tables it contains to a data set


{marker syntax}{...}
{title:Syntax}

{p 8 17 2}
{cmdab:readhtmltable:}
{page}
[{cmd:,} {it:options}]

{synoptset 20 tabbed}{...}
{synopthdr}
{synoptline}
{syntab:Main}
{synopt:{opt v:arnames}}Use the first row as variable names{p_end}
{synopt:{opt h:tml}}Keep HTML markup{p_end}
{synopt:{opt d:ebug}}Save intermediate results{p_end}
{synoptline}


{marker description}{...}
{title:Description}

{pstd}
{cmd:readhtmltable} reads the requested web page and converts any tables it contains into a Stata data set. 

{marker options}{...}
{title:Options}

{dlgtab:Main}

{phang}
{opt varnames} indicates that the first row of each column should be used as the variable name. If it is emtpy, 
the default variable name will be used.

{phang}
{opt html} keeps HTML markup (defined as anything in between < and >). By default HTML markup is removed.

{phang}
{opt debug} keeps the intermediate results generated by the program which are dropped by default. Probably only useful for debugging.


{marker remarks}{...}
{title:Remarks}

{pstd}If the web page contains multiple tables they will still be placed in a single data set and it is up to the user to separate them (this may change in future versions).
The default variable names are of the form t#c# (e.g. t1c1 is table 1, column 1) but can be overridden with the {varnames} option.{p_end}

{pstd}Note that the new data set will replace any existing data set, and this program does not (yet) check to see if anything should be saved first!{p_end}

{pstd}This program is in still early in the development process. Use at your own risk, but it's normally pretty easy to tell if a page has been read properly.{p_end}


{marker examples}{...}
{title:Examples}

{pstd}Read in the SSCC training schedule for the current semester{p_end}
{phang}{cmd:. readhtmltable https://ssc.wisc.edu/sscc_jsp/training/}{p_end}

{pstd}Use the first row as variable names{p_end}
{phang}{cmd:. readhtmltable https://ssc.wisc.edu/sscc_jsp/training/, varnames}{p_end}

{pstd}Some pages will not read properly. Here the problem is cells that take up multiple columns and/or rows (FWIW, R's readhtmlTable has the same problem with this page){p_end}
{phang}{cmd:. readhtmltable http://www.nfl.com/stats/team, varnames}{p_end}