-vecrank- returns "the sample has gaps" error using a perfectly balanced panel

[Anat Tchetchik]

Dear all,

I'm using Stata 13.1. I have a balanced panel of 45 countries and 9 years (data is below).- tsset- (and -xtset-) return what seems to be the correct panel structure

tsset country_code periods
panel variable: country_code (strongly balanced)
time variable: periods, 1999 to 2007
delta: 1 year

Yet, the code

 vecrank se  unemploymentunited_wb_imf

returns an error

the sample has gaps

.
Running

tsreport , detail

returns

Panel variable: country_code
Time variable: periods
------------------------------
Starting period = 1999
Ending period = 2007
Observations = 405
Number of gaps = 44
(Gap count includes panel changes)

Gap report
--------------------------------------------------------------
Obs. | country~e Start End N. Obs.
-------------+------------------------------------------------
9| 1 2008 . .
18| 2 2008 . .
27| 4 2008 . .
36| 6 2008 . .
45| 8 2008 . .
54| 9 2008 . .
63| 12 2008 . .
72| 15 2008 . .

I have searched everywhere for what "panel changes" may refer to and could only find an unanswered post with similar problem from 2012 http://www.stata.com/statalist/archi.../msg00414.html

I will appreciate any advice how on this matter.

 
* Example generated by -dataex-. To install: ssc install dataex
clear
input int(country_code periods) float(se unemploymentunited_wb_imf)
 1 1999 35.7   15
 1 2000 35.3 13.5
 1 2001 34.9 22.7
 1 2002 34.7 13.4
 1 2003 34.4 12.7
 1 2004 33.9 12.6
 1 2005 33.7 12.5
 1 2006 33.3 12.4
 1 2007 32.9 13.5
 2 1999 34.2 25.4
 2 2000 34.1 29.8
 2 2001 33.8 27.3
 2 2002 33.3 25.9
 2 2003 32.5 23.7
 2 2004 31.7 20.1
 2 2005 31.1 15.3
 2 2006   31 12.3
 2 2007 31.2 13.8
 4 1999 14.4  6.9
 4 2000 14.3  6.3
 4 2001 14.3  6.8
 4 2002 14.1  6.4
 4 2003 13.9  5.9
 4 2004 13.7  5.4
 4 2005 13.7    5
 4 2006 13.7  4.8
 4 2007 13.5  4.4
 6 1999   61  5.2
 6 2000 60.6 11.8
 6 2001 60.3 10.9
 6 2002   60   10
 6 2003 59.1  9.2
 6 2004 58.6    8
 6 2005 56.7  7.3
 6 2006   54  6.6
 6 2007   52  6.3
 8 1999   36  3.1
 8 2000 35.6  3.3
 8 2001 35.5  3.4
 8 2002 35.7  3.4
 8 2003 35.6  4.3
 8 2004 35.5  4.5
 8 2005 35.1  4.3
 8 2006 34.5  4.2
 8 2007 34.1  4.3
 9 1999 48.3  6.5
 9 2000 48.1  6.4
 9 2001 47.9  6.4
 9 2002 47.6  6.5
 9 2003   47  6.4
 9 2004 46.1  6.4
 9 2005 45.2  6.3
 9 2006 44.2  6.2
 9 2007 43.3  6.2
12 1999 51.2   .9
12 2000 50.2   .8
12 2001 49.8   .7
12 2002 49.6   .7
12 2003 49.3   .9
12 2004 49.5  1.3
12 2005 49.8  1.3
12 2006 49.6  1.1
12 2007 49.1  1.1
15 1999 33.9 21.9
15 2000 33.4 22.1
15 2001 33.2 23.2
15 2002 33.3 20.2
15 2003   33 23.8
15 2004 32.8 22.9
15 2005 32.7   22
15 2006 32.3 17.6
15 2007 31.9 18.5
18 1999 41.3  2.3
18 2000 41.4    3
18 2001 41.3  2.3
18 2002 41.4    3
18 2003 40.3  2.8
18 2004 40.1  2.8
18 2005 39.7  2.7
18 2006 39.7  2.3
18 2007 39.6  3.3
21 1999 13.2  4.7
21 2000 13.1  4.5
21 2001   13  4.5
21 2002 12.9  4.4
21 2003 12.8  4.3
21 2004 12.6  4.3
21 2005 12.5  4.1
21 2006 12.2    4
21 2007 11.9  3.8
24 1999 41.4  4.1
24 2000 43.2  4.1
24 2001 44.3  4.1
24 2002 45.5  4.1
24 2003   46  4.1
24 2004 46.1  4.1
24 2005 46.3  4.1
24 2006 46.8  4.1
24 2007   47  4.1
30 1999 35.5  8.1
30 2000 35.1    9
30 2001 35.2  9.4
30 2002 35.7 10.2
30 2003 35.4 10.4
30 2004   35 10.7
30 2005 34.8 11.2
30 2006 34.1 10.6
30 2007 33.1  8.9
33 1999 40.6  8.2
33 2000 40.3  7.9
33 2001 39.5  7.6
33 2002 39.6    7
33 2003 40.1  6.4
33 2004 38.6  5.9
33 2005 37.7  5.4
33 2006 36.3  5.4
33 2007 35.1  5.4
36 1999 68.3 13.8
36 2000 67.3 10.8
36 2001 67.2 11.2
36 2002 67.2 12.6
36 2003 65.9 11.5
36 2004 65.5 12.6
36 2005 65.1 13.8
36 2006 63.6 13.6
36 2007 62.1 13.3
38 1999   42 10.1
38 2000 41.9 10.4
38 2001 41.8   10
38 2002 41.6  9.8
38 2003 41.3  8.4
38 2004 40.9  6.6
38 2005 39.5  3.8
38 2006 38.6  3.6
38 2007 38.3  3.7
43 1999   17  6.2
43 2000 16.6  4.9
43 2001 16.6  5.1
43 2002 16.6  7.3
43 2003 16.4  7.9
43 2004 15.9  6.7
43 2005 15.5  5.6
43 2006   15  4.8
43 2007 14.7    4
45 1999 23.2  4.4
45 2000 23.1  4.3
45 2001 22.8    4
45 2002 22.6  4.3
45 2003 22.3  3.9
45 2004   22  3.9
45 2005 21.7  4.4
45 2006 21.2  4.3
45 2007 20.7  3.7
46 1999 19.7  6.3
46 2000 19.4  6.1
46 2001 19.4  8.1
46 2002 19.3  9.1
46 2003 19.1  9.5
46 2004 18.8  9.9
46 2005 18.6 11.2
46 2006 18.3 10.3
46 2007 17.9  9.1
47 1999 19.1 11.2
47 2000 18.9   13
47 2001   19 12.2
47 2002 18.7 12.8
47 2003 18.2 12.2
47 2004 17.9 10.3
47 2005 18.1 12.1
47 2006 17.7 11.6
47 2007 17.3 10.6
49 1999 22.7  8.9
49 2000 21.9  8.8
49 2001 22.3  9.3
49 2002 22.7 10.3
49 2003 22.7 10.7
49 2004 22.1 10.4
49 2005 21.8    9
49 2006 21.2  8.4
49 2007 20.7  7.3
53 1999 19.4 12.9
53 2000 19.4 13.7
53 2001 19.2 15.8
53 2002 18.9 16.2
53 2003 18.7 15.4
53 2004 18.3 12.4
53 2005   18 14.9
53 2006 17.5   14
53 2007 17.2 13.1
54 1999 43.8 13.5
54 2000 43.2 12.8
54 2001 42.5 10.4
54 2002   42  9.3
54 2003 41.1  8.8
54 2004 40.6  8.4
54 2005 39.8  8.1
54 2006 38.9  7.8
54 2007 38.4  7.3
55 1999 33.7  9.8
55 2000 34.3  9.8
55 2001   34  9.7
55 2002 34.8  9.7
55 2003 34.6  9.6
55 2004 33.7  9.6
55 2005 32.7  9.5
55 2006 31.1  9.5
55 2007 29.5  9.5
56 1999 28.3  6.3
56 2000 27.5  4.4
56 2001 27.3    4
56 2002 26.9  3.3
56 2003 26.8  3.6
56 2004 26.5  3.7
56 2005 26.3  3.7
56 2006 25.9  3.4
56 2007 25.6  3.2
57 1999 41.4  8.2
57 2000 41.2  7.5
57 2001 40.8  7.8
57 2002 41.4 12.5
57 2003 40.5  9.9
57 2004 39.8  8.5
57 2005 40.1  8.1
57 2006 39.8  8.3
57 2007 38.8  8.2
59 1999 34.1  8.6
59 2000 34.1  8.9
59 2001 33.7  8.2
59 2002 33.5  8.2
59 2003 33.2  8.5
59 2004 32.4  7.9
59 2005 32.4  8.2
59 2006 32.8  8.4
59 2007   32    9
62 1999 40.1  2.6
62 2000 39.6  2.6
62 2001 38.7    4
62 2002 44.8  4.4
62 2003 43.4    5
62 2004 41.6  3.8
62 2005 40.8  2.6
62 2006 39.8  3.9
62 2007 38.5  4.1
63 1999 39.9  7.5
63 2000 40.3  7.6
63 2001 42.5  7.7
63 2002 44.4  7.7
63 2003 43.4  7.7
63 2004 42.5  7.8
63 2005 42.6  7.9
63 2006 41.3  7.8
63 2007 39.4  7.6
64 1999 32.2  3.4
64 2000 31.1    3
64 2001 31.6  3.5
64 2002 31.5  3.5
64 2003 31.2  3.6
64 2004 30.7  3.5
64 2005 30.4  3.5
64 2006   30  3.3
64 2007 29.6  3.2
65 1999 42.5  8.2
65 2000 42.3  8.3
65 2001 40.8  8.3
65 2002 40.2  8.4
65 2003 39.9  8.6
65 2004 40.6  8.8
65 2005 40.1  8.5
65 2006 39.9  8.3
65 2007 39.9  8.5
68 1999 18.4  6.2
68 2000 18.4  6.1
68 2001 18.3  6.1
68 2002   18  6.2
68 2003 17.7  6.8
68 2004 17.4  7.1
68 2005 17.1  6.9
68 2006 16.7  5.9
68 2007 16.4  7.2
69 1999 36.5 13.9
69 2000 36.4 13.6
69 2001 35.7 12.5
69 2002 35.5 11.6
69 2003   35 11.9
69 2004 34.2 10.8
69 2005 34.9   11
69 2006 33.1  9.7
69 2007 33.1  9.8
70 1999 37.2  1.8
70 2000 36.8  2.7
70 2001 36.7  3.8
70 2002 37.1  2.8
70 2003 36.9  2.1
70 2004 36.8  2.1
70 2005 36.7  2.5
70 2006 36.3  2.6
70 2007   36  2.6
72 1999   13    7
72 2000 12.8  6.2
72 2001 12.6  5.4
72 2002 12.4  5.3
72 2003 12.2  4.8
72 2004   12    4
72 2005 12.1  3.8
72 2006 12.1  3.9
72 2007   12  3.7
75 1999   37  6.1
75 2000 36.8  7.2
75 2001   37  7.4
75 2002 36.8  7.8
75 2003 36.2  7.7
75 2004 35.3  7.4
75 2005 34.9  7.1
75 2006 33.8  6.1
75 2007 33.6  5.1
79 1999 43.8  9.4
79 2000 43.3 11.2
79 2001   43   11
79 2002 42.5 11.5
79 2003   42 11.2
79 2004 41.6 11.9
79 2005 40.1  7.7
79 2006 39.5    8
79 2007 38.3  7.4
84 1999 18.7  4.3
84 2000 18.4  4.6
84 2001 18.7  4.6
84 2002 19.2  5.2
84 2003 18.3  5.9
84 2004 17.7  5.9
84 2005 17.4  5.9
84 2006 17.4  6.3
84 2007 16.8  5.7
85 1999   45 10.1
85 2000 45.1 10.2
85 2001 44.5 10.1
85 2002 45.1 10.2
85 2003 44.4 10.1
85 2004 43.2 10.1
85 2005 42.3 10.1
85 2006 42.4   10
85 2007 41.7   10
86 1999 13.3  3.8
86 2000 13.1  3.7
86 2001 13.3  3.7
86 2002 13.3  4.8
86 2003 13.1  5.2
86 2004 12.8  4.4
86 2005 12.7  4.1
86 2006 12.4  3.6
86 2007 12.2    3
88 1999 27.3  7.3
88 2000 27.1  6.9
88 2001 26.7  5.7
88 2002 26.6  6.3
88 2003 26.4  6.7
88 2004 26.2  6.3
88 2005 25.8  6.5
88 2006 25.3    6
88 2007 24.7  4.8
89 1999 28.4 25.4
89 2000 28.4 26.7
89 2001 28.4 25.4
89 2002   28 27.2
89 2003 27.8 27.1
89 2004 27.1 24.7
89 2005 26.5 23.8
89 2006   26 22.6
89 2007 25.2 22.3
92 1999 45.2  8.9
92 2000 44.6  7.7
92 2001 44.6  7.9
92 2002 44.1  8.8
92 2003 43.8  8.2
92 2004 43.9  8.4
92 2005 43.4  7.7
92 2006 42.9  6.5
92 2007 42.2    6
96 1999 19.3  7.6
96 2000 19.3  9.5
96 2001 19.2 11.6
96 2002 19.1 11.7
96 2003 19.3 10.3
96 2004 19.1  9.8
96 2005   19  9.2
96 2006 18.7  8.2
96 2007 18.5  8.4
98 1999 58.6  4.6
98 2000 58.3  5.1
98 2001 57.7  5.1
98 2002 56.9  3.6
98 2003 56.6  3.4
98 2004   56  2.9
98 2005 55.4  2.5
98 2006 54.7  4.3
98 2007 53.7    2
99 1999 53.4    3
99 2000 52.6  2.4
99 2001 52.4  2.6
99 2002 51.5  1.8
99 2003 50.2  1.5
99 2004 49.6  1.5
99 2005   49  1.3
99 2006 48.5  1.2
99 2007 48.2  1.2
end
format %ty periods

[Anat Tchetchik]

Hi again,
Ignore my previous question. I was mislead to think that -vecrank- is a panel command. My very bad. Sorry for that.
Anat