/wrds

Matlab API to access WRDS

Primary LanguageMatlabOtherNOASSERTION

DOI

interaction

Description

High level Matlab API that interacts with the Wharton Reasearch Data Services (WRDS) Unix server and its SAS data sets through SSH2.

Installation

First, run wrds_install() or add all relevant paths manually. You are ready to use wrds.

Requirements

  • An account with WRDS of the type that admits SSH connections (PhD or above). See WRDS's account types for details.
  • Java enabled

Syntax

Connect to WRDS Unix servers

w = wrds('username', 'password')

Execute commands

w.cmd('cmdstring')

Check what specific datasets a (database) library has

w.getDatasetNames('libref')

Check info for a dataset you want to download

w.getDatasetInfo('libref.datasetname')

and, if you get an empty result, then your institution might not have acces to that particular database. Check on https://wrds-web.wharton.upenn.edu/wrds/mywrds/subscriptions.cfm? which databases you are subscribed on!

Download the dataset to a zipped .csv

w.getDataset('libref.datasetname')

Switch off verbosity

w.isVerbose = false;

###Examples:

Print Hello World in the Unix shell and print result into Matlab's cmd window (Verbose)

w = wrds('olegkoma','forgiveMeIfIDontTellYou');
w.cmd('echo "Hello World!"')

Get info about the CRSPA/MSI dataset

w.getDatasetInfo('CRSPA.MSI')
ans = 
...
                  Alphabetic List of Variables and Attributes                   
                                                                            
# Variable Type Len Format    Informat Label                                  
                                                                            
1 DATE     Num    4 YYMMDDN8. YYMMDD8. Date of Observation                    
4 ewretd   Num    8 10.6      E13.6    Equal-Weighted Return-incl. dividends  
5 ewretx   Num    8 10.6      E13.6    Equal-Weighted Return-excl. dividends  
7 spindx   Num    8 8.2       8.2      Level of the S&P 500 Index             
6 sprtrn   Num    8 10.6      E13.6    Return on the S&P 500 Index            
9 totcnt   Num    8 5.        5.       Total Market Count                     
8 totval   Num    8 14.2      E13.6    Total Market Value                     
11 usdcnt   Num    8 5.        5.       Count of Securities Used               
10 usdval   Num    8 14.2      E13.6    Market Value of Securities Used        
2 vwretd   Num    8 10.6      E13.6    Value-Weighted Return-incl. dividends  
3 vwretx   Num    8 10.6      E13.6    Value-Weighted Return-excl. dividends  
...

Download it

w.getDataset('CRSPA.MSI')