Copying labels when recoding a variable

[Christina Chara]

Hi,

I have a variable in my dataset which is a combination variable of two other variables which I created using the below code

egen varAB = group(varA varB), label

Now, due to small cells in some of the resulting groups I am recoding some of the categories of this variable and creating a new variable using this code:

recode varAB(156/191=191 "newname"), gen(newvarAB)

. My question is how can I copy the labels of the unchanged categories from the old to the new variable without having to do it manually one by one.

Thanks in advance

[Rich Goldstein]

use "clonevar" as your first step, then recode without generating a new variable

[Nick Cox]

My initial reaction was similar to Rich's but recode won't oblige on the value label. Any shorter alternative to this?

egen newvarAB = group(varA varB), label 
replace newvarAB = 191 if inrange(newvarAB, 156, 191) 
label def newvarAB 191 "newname", modify

[Christina Chara]

Thanks a lot, I was not aware of this command. How can i rename the labels of the recoded categories only when using this command though? I am merging some of the small cells together but when I use

recode clonedvar(1/5=1 "newname")

with the cloned variable I get the following error

Rules defining value labels not allowed when overwriting a variable

[Nick Cox]

#3 is a reply to #4.

[Christina Chara]

thank you very much. #3 works. So there is no way I can actually keep both the old and the new recoded variable? It would be very helpful if i could also keep the old variable for reference.

[Nick Cox]

#3 is already an answer to #6 (sorry, couldn't resist). My code is all about generating a new variable, so it follows that you get to keep the existing variable if you wish.

[Christina Chara]

you are right, I didn't notice that your first line of code was not a repetition of my initial code so I wasn't creating the group variable twice but with a different name. Many thanks

[daniel klein]

label copy will copy value labels that can then be modified. Also see labcpy (part pf labutil2, SSC).

Best
Daniel