Below is a listing of many of the key features supported by RATS. Please note that RATS is designed to be a very powerful and flexible program, so there is no way we can list all of its capabilities here. If, after looking over this list, you are not sure that RATS can do what you need, just ask us. You can call us at 800-822-8038 or e-mail us at support@estima.com and we'll do our best to answer your question.
Statistical Methods
Estimation Techniques
Multiple regressions including stepwise
Regression with autoregressive errors
Heteroscedasticity/serial-correlation correction, including Newey-West
Non-linear least squares
Two-stage least squares for linear, non-linear, and autocorrelated models
Seemingly unrelated regressions and three-stage least squares
Univariate and multivariate, including BEKK, diagonal, CC, DCC, and Vech multivariate models
Support for GARCH-in-mean models
Additional exogenous variables in mean and/or variance equations
Normal, t and GED distributions
Exponential and Asymmetric models
Robust standard errors
Working With Data
Data Entry
Menu-driven Data Wizards for reading in data
Reads and writes Excel® files (including Excel 2007), text files, Stata®, Eviews®, Matlab®, Haver databases, and other formats
Pro version supports SQL/ODBC access, online access to the FRED® database, CRSP® data, and more
On-screen data viewer and editor, with point-and-click graphing and statistics tools
Can handle virtually any data frequency, including daily, weekly, intra-day, and panel data
Can automatically compact or expand data to different frequencies
RATS data file format is fast and easy, supports all frequencies, and allows you to store series of different frequencies on the same file
Data Transformations
Flexible transformations with algebraic formulas
Easy to create trend series, seasonal, and time period dummies
Extensive filtering operations, including Hodrick-Prescott, Henderson, Spencer, and custom filters
Supports regular, seasonal, and fractional differencing
Graphics
Time series graphics
X-Y scatter plots
Dual-scale graphs
Box plots
Contour graphs
Ability to arrange multiple graphs on a single page
Copy-and-paste graphs into other applications
Export graphs to many formats, including PostScript and Windows Metafile
User can customize attributes such as line thickness, colors and grayscale levels, and fill patterns
Interface
Interactive Mode Environment
Text-editor based
Point-and-click “wizards” for many tasks, greatly enhancing ease-of-use
Saved programs can be re-run with just a few mouse clicks
Designed so that you can reproduce results, output, and graphs easily and accurately (a critical but often overlooked requirement for producing reliable, publication-quality results)
True multiple window support. Simultaneously view your input commands and output, spreadsheet-style “report” windows, graphs, and more
Programmability
Extensive looping capabilities and support for applying operations to lists of variables make it possible to automate many repetitive tasks
You can write procedures, which can perform complex tasks with a single instruction, and write your own callable functions.
A library of procedures written by RATS users from around the world is available free of charge on our web site
A variety of interface-related instructions allow you to create your own drop-down menus, custom dialog boxes, and more
Report Capabilities
Strong focus on making it easy to get results easily and accurately into documents or other applications.
Tables of output can be viewed in Report Windows, for easy exporting or copying-and-pasting into other applications.
Powerful report-generation features for constructing and exporting your own tables of information.
Easy control over displayed precision in output
TeX: Support for exporting TeX tables
RATS Professional
The Professional versions of RATS adds the following features not found in the Standard version:
Support for reading databases via ODBC/SQL
Census Bureau X12-ARIMA seasonal adjustment routine
Support for FAME data files (for Windows and unix/linux)
