Fix 'variable z_ already defined' error in loop
My code in Stata initially opens each file using a foreach loop that imports the files while erasing the first line for each file (not shown here).
Once this part is done, my 901 files have the following structure:
v1 v2 v3 v4 v5 ...
id 798 578 948 421
2000 4567 8673 4806 9405
2001 5867 9001 5893 8790
2002 6878 9233 5712 7678
...
Then, I use this nested foreach loop, which was provided as an answer to a previous question of mine, to rename variables:
ds v*
local i 0
foreach var in `r(varlist)' {
local ++i
tostring v`i', replace
local varname = strtoname(v`i'[1])
rename v`i' z`varname'
}
However, I get this error message:
'variable z_ already defined'.
I ran a set trace on command to make sure that the problem is with the rename command (because z_ cannot already be defined). The problem is indeed with this command. The same code worked perfectly fine before with another group of files so I don't understand.
I want my code to take the first line, to add z_ as a prefix to the number on the first line and to rename my variables (zid for v1, z_798 for v3, z_578 for v3 and so on).
EDIT:
It seems that the problem would be in one specific file:
v1 v2 v3 v4 v5 …
Id 576 . 568 . …
2000 5958 937 949 161
2001 8471 1059 767 234
…
v3 would become z_ and v5 would become also z_ but it cannot since ‘variable z_ already defined’. It seems that some id numbers are missing.
Any suggestions to fix the code/data?
stata
edited Nov 20 '18 at 0:40
Pearly Spencer
10.9k173461
asked Nov 19 '18 at 23:17
windyboowindyboo
315
add a comment |
My code in Stata initially opens each file using a foreach loop that imports the files while erasing the first line for each file (not shown here).
Once this part is done, my 901 files have the following structure:
v1 v2 v3 v4 v5 ...
id 798 578 948 421
2000 4567 8673 4806 9405
2001 5867 9001 5893 8790
2002 6878 9233 5712 7678
...
Then, I use this nested foreach loop, which was provided as an answer to a previous question of mine, to rename variables:
ds v*
local i 0
foreach var in `r(varlist)' {
local ++i
tostring v`i', replace
local varname = strtoname(v`i'[1])
rename v`i' z`varname'
}
However, I get this error message:
'variable z_ already defined'.
I ran a set trace on command to make sure that the problem is with the rename command (because z_ cannot already be defined). The problem is indeed with this command. The same code worked perfectly fine before with another group of files so I don't understand.
I want my code to take the first line, to add z_ as a prefix to the number on the first line and to rename my variables (zid for v1, z_798 for v3, z_578 for v3 and so on).
EDIT:
It seems that the problem would be in one specific file:
v1 v2 v3 v4 v5 …
Id 576 . 568 . …
2000 5958 937 949 161
2001 8471 1059 767 234
…
v3 would become z_ and v5 would become also z_ but it cannot since ‘variable z_ already defined’. It seems that some id numbers are missing.
Any suggestions to fix the code/data?
stata
edited Nov 20 '18 at 0:40
Pearly Spencer
10.9k173461
asked Nov 19 '18 at 23:17
windyboowindyboo
315
add a comment |
My code in Stata initially opens each file using a foreach loop that imports the files while erasing the first line for each file (not shown here).
Once this part is done, my 901 files have the following structure:
v1 v2 v3 v4 v5 ...
id 798 578 948 421
2000 4567 8673 4806 9405
2001 5867 9001 5893 8790
2002 6878 9233 5712 7678
...
Then, I use this nested foreach loop, which was provided as an answer to a previous question of mine, to rename variables:
ds v*
local i 0
foreach var in `r(varlist)' {
local ++i
tostring v`i', replace
local varname = strtoname(v`i'[1])
rename v`i' z`varname'
}
However, I get this error message:
'variable z_ already defined'.
I ran a set trace on command to make sure that the problem is with the rename command (because z_ cannot already be defined). The problem is indeed with this command. The same code worked perfectly fine before with another group of files so I don't understand.
I want my code to take the first line, to add z_ as a prefix to the number on the first line and to rename my variables (zid for v1, z_798 for v3, z_578 for v3 and so on).
EDIT:
It seems that the problem would be in one specific file:
v1 v2 v3 v4 v5 …
Id 576 . 568 . …
2000 5958 937 949 161
2001 8471 1059 767 234
…
v3 would become z_ and v5 would become also z_ but it cannot since ‘variable z_ already defined’. It seems that some id numbers are missing.
Any suggestions to fix the code/data?
stata
edited Nov 20 '18 at 0:40
Pearly Spencer
10.9k173461
asked Nov 19 '18 at 23:17
windyboowindyboo
315
My code in Stata initially opens each file using a foreach loop that imports the files while erasing the first line for each file (not shown here).
Once this part is done, my 901 files have the following structure:
v1 v2 v3 v4 v5 ...
id 798 578 948 421
2000 4567 8673 4806 9405
2001 5867 9001 5893 8790
2002 6878 9233 5712 7678
...
Then, I use this nested foreach loop, which was provided as an answer to a previous question of mine, to rename variables:
ds v*
local i 0
foreach var in `r(varlist)' {
local ++i
tostring v`i', replace
local varname = strtoname(v`i'[1])
rename v`i' z`varname'
}
However, I get this error message:
'variable z_ already defined'.
I ran a set trace on command to make sure that the problem is with the rename command (because z_ cannot already be defined). The problem is indeed with this command. The same code worked perfectly fine before with another group of files so I don't understand.
I want my code to take the first line, to add z_ as a prefix to the number on the first line and to rename my variables (zid for v1, z_798 for v3, z_578 for v3 and so on).
EDIT:
It seems that the problem would be in one specific file:
v1 v2 v3 v4 v5 …
Id 576 . 568 . …
2000 5958 937 949 161
2001 8471 1059 767 234
…
v3 would become z_ and v5 would become also z_ but it cannot since ‘variable z_ already defined’. It seems that some id numbers are missing.
Any suggestions to fix the code/data?
stata
stata
edited Nov 20 '18 at 0:40
Pearly Spencer
10.9k173461
asked Nov 19 '18 at 23:17
windyboowindyboo
315
edited Nov 20 '18 at 0:40
Pearly Spencer
10.9k173461
asked Nov 19 '18 at 23:17
windyboowindyboo
315
edited Nov 20 '18 at 0:40
Pearly Spencer
10.9k173461
edited Nov 20 '18 at 0:40
Pearly Spencer
10.9k173461
edited Nov 20 '18 at 0:40
Pearly Spencer
10.9k173461
10.9k173461
asked Nov 19 '18 at 23:17
windyboowindyboo
315
asked Nov 19 '18 at 23:17
windyboowindyboo
315
asked Nov 19 '18 at 23:17
windyboowindyboo
315
315
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
When you have missing values you can do the following:
clear
input str10(v1 v2 v3 v4 v5)
id 798 . 948 .
2000 4567 8673 4806 9405
2001 5867 9001 5893 8790
2002 6878 9233 5712 7678
end
ds v*
local i 0
foreach var in `r(varlist)' {
local ++i
local varname = strtoname(v`i'[1])
if "`varname'" == "_" local varname `i'
rename v`i' z`varname'
}
list
+------------------------------------+
| zid z_798 z3 z_948 z5 |
|------------------------------------|
1. | id 798 . 948 . |
2. | 2000 4567 8673 4806 9405 |
3. | 2001 5867 9001 5893 8790 |
4. | 2002 6878 9233 5712 7678 |
+------------------------------------+
Essentially, you replace the missing value with the value from the counter i.
answered Nov 20 '18 at 0:27
Pearly SpencerPearly Spencer
10.9k173461
You answers are always helpful and appreciated!
– windyboo
Nov 20 '18 at 1:07
add a comment |
Your Answer
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
When you have missing values you can do the following:
clear
input str10(v1 v2 v3 v4 v5)
id 798 . 948 .
2000 4567 8673 4806 9405
2001 5867 9001 5893 8790
2002 6878 9233 5712 7678
end
ds v*
local i 0
foreach var in `r(varlist)' {
local ++i
local varname = strtoname(v`i'[1])
if "`varname'" == "_" local varname `i'
rename v`i' z`varname'
}
list
+------------------------------------+
| zid z_798 z3 z_948 z5 |
|------------------------------------|
1. | id 798 . 948 . |
2. | 2000 4567 8673 4806 9405 |
3. | 2001 5867 9001 5893 8790 |
4. | 2002 6878 9233 5712 7678 |
+------------------------------------+
Essentially, you replace the missing value with the value from the counter i.
answered Nov 20 '18 at 0:27
Pearly SpencerPearly Spencer
10.9k173461
You answers are always helpful and appreciated!
– windyboo
Nov 20 '18 at 1:07
add a comment |
When you have missing values you can do the following:
clear
input str10(v1 v2 v3 v4 v5)
id 798 . 948 .
2000 4567 8673 4806 9405
2001 5867 9001 5893 8790
2002 6878 9233 5712 7678
end
ds v*
local i 0
foreach var in `r(varlist)' {
local ++i
local varname = strtoname(v`i'[1])
if "`varname'" == "_" local varname `i'
rename v`i' z`varname'
}
list
+------------------------------------+
| zid z_798 z3 z_948 z5 |
|------------------------------------|
1. | id 798 . 948 . |
2. | 2000 4567 8673 4806 9405 |
3. | 2001 5867 9001 5893 8790 |
4. | 2002 6878 9233 5712 7678 |
+------------------------------------+
Essentially, you replace the missing value with the value from the counter i.
answered Nov 20 '18 at 0:27
Pearly SpencerPearly Spencer
10.9k173461
You answers are always helpful and appreciated!
– windyboo
Nov 20 '18 at 1:07
add a comment |
When you have missing values you can do the following:
clear
input str10(v1 v2 v3 v4 v5)
id 798 . 948 .
2000 4567 8673 4806 9405
2001 5867 9001 5893 8790
2002 6878 9233 5712 7678
end
ds v*
local i 0
foreach var in `r(varlist)' {
local ++i
local varname = strtoname(v`i'[1])
if "`varname'" == "_" local varname `i'
rename v`i' z`varname'
}
list
+------------------------------------+
| zid z_798 z3 z_948 z5 |
|------------------------------------|
1. | id 798 . 948 . |
2. | 2000 4567 8673 4806 9405 |
3. | 2001 5867 9001 5893 8790 |
4. | 2002 6878 9233 5712 7678 |
+------------------------------------+
Essentially, you replace the missing value with the value from the counter i.
answered Nov 20 '18 at 0:27
Pearly SpencerPearly Spencer
10.9k173461
When you have missing values you can do the following:
clear
input str10(v1 v2 v3 v4 v5)
id 798 . 948 .
2000 4567 8673 4806 9405
2001 5867 9001 5893 8790
2002 6878 9233 5712 7678
end
ds v*
local i 0
foreach var in `r(varlist)' {
local ++i
local varname = strtoname(v`i'[1])
if "`varname'" == "_" local varname `i'
rename v`i' z`varname'
}
list
+------------------------------------+
| zid z_798 z3 z_948 z5 |
|------------------------------------|
1. | id 798 . 948 . |
2. | 2000 4567 8673 4806 9405 |
3. | 2001 5867 9001 5893 8790 |
4. | 2002 6878 9233 5712 7678 |
+------------------------------------+
Essentially, you replace the missing value with the value from the counter i.
answered Nov 20 '18 at 0:27
Pearly SpencerPearly Spencer
10.9k173461
edited Nov 20 '18 at 0:41
answered Nov 20 '18 at 0:27
Pearly SpencerPearly Spencer
10.9k173461
answered Nov 20 '18 at 0:27
Pearly SpencerPearly Spencer
10.9k173461
answered Nov 20 '18 at 0:27
Pearly SpencerPearly Spencer
10.9k173461
10.9k173461
You answers are always helpful and appreciated!
– windyboo
Nov 20 '18 at 1:07
add a comment |
You answers are always helpful and appreciated!
– windyboo
Nov 20 '18 at 1:07
You answers are always helpful and appreciated!
– windyboo
Nov 20 '18 at 1:07
You answers are always helpful and appreciated!
– windyboo
Nov 20 '18 at 1:07
add a comment |
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