Can I Autogenate savefile names using another another filename as a "base"

[Steen Harsted]

Hi
I'm new to Stata. I have been looking in the manual and the forums to see if I could find an answer my question, but unfortunately without luck. I hope you can help me.

I am currently importing delimited CSV files. I have made a do file that imports, makes a log file and saves the data twice - one save immediately after import and one save (under a different name) after Ive renamed and dropped a number of variables.

This means for every CSV file I import I get 2 data files that each need a name which is based on the CSV file I import (please see code below for clarification.)

Right now I am manually changeing the names of my save and log files. Its all the red numbers that I change to be the same as the green number. This works fine, but I need to import several hundred files so I would like to automate as much of the proces as possible.

Is there a way where I can autogenerate these names? If I could just write the number one time instead of 4 it would make a big difference.


clear
import delimited ".....Session102.csv", delimiter(tab) varnames(nonames) rowrange(6)
save "....\KGC_05_Session_102.dta", replace
capture log close
log using "....\KGC_05_Session_102log.txt", text replace
cd "....\KGC 05"
use KGC_05_Session_102.dta, clear
set more off
My do file runs.....and I end it with
save "KGC_05_Session_102_cleaned ", replace


I hope you can help me.
Thanks in advance.

[Carole J. Wilson]

Sure, one way to do it is to save the number as a macro:

local number 102

clear
import delimited ".....Session`number'.csv", delimiter(tab) varnames(nonames) rowrange(6)
save "....\KGC_05_Session_`number'.dta", replace
capture log close
log using "....\KGC_05_Session_`number'log.txt", text replace
cd "....\KGC 05"
use KGC_05_Session_`number'.dta, clear
set more off
*My do file runs.....and I end it with
save "KGC_05_Session_`number'_cleaned ", replace

[Jeph Herrin]

You can even automate reading the files - if all of the CSV files are in the same directory, you can do something like

local filenames : dir . files ".csv"
foreach F in `filenames' {
       import delimited "`F'" , delimiter(tab) varnames(nonames) rowrange(6)
       local number : subinstr("`F'","....Session",,"",.)
       local number : subinstr("`number'",".csv","",.)
       save "KGC_05_Session_`number'.dta", replace
       ...
}

Where you will probably have to be a bit more careful than I have in pulling out the -number-, but you get the idea.

hth,
Jeph

[Steen Harsted]

Thanks a lot - This is Awesome :-)

[Steen Harsted]

You can even automate reading the files - if all of the CSV files are in the same directory, you can do something like

local filenames : dir . files ".csv"
foreach F in `filenames' {
import delimited "`F'" , delimiter(tab) varnames(nonames) rowrange(6)
local number : subinstr("`F'","....Session",,"",.)
local number : subinstr("`number'",".csv","",.)
save "KGC_05_Session_`number'.dta", replace
...
}

Where you will probably have to be a bit more careful than I have in pulling out the -number-, but you get the idea.

hth,
Jeph

Hi Jeph
It would be great to automate reading the CSV files - They are in the same directory so it should be possible. I´ve tried adding the full adresses and running your code, but nothing happens - I dont even get an error message. I cant figure out what I'm doing wrong. Can you help me?
Also - Can you recommend somewhere where I can and learn about the commands "local", "foreach" and "subinstr"?


The files I want to import have this addres:
C:\Users\Sharsted\OneDrive\PhD\Validation\Data\Har sted Test\KGC6\Session1\Session102.csv
Only the number "102" changes in the file names.
In the code I have specified the directory where I would like the saved import files to be.


Ive copied the do file into the directory where the CSV files are (C:\Users\Sharsted\OneDrive\PhD\Validation\Data\Ha rsted Test\KGC6\Session1\) and run the file from there.
My code looks like this.

clear
local filenames : dir . files ".csv"
foreach F in `filenames' {
       import delimited "`F'" , delimiter(tab) varnames(nonames) rowrange(6)
       local number : subinstr("`F'","C:\Users\Sharsted\OneDrive\PhD\Validation\Rensede data\KGC 06\KGC_06_Session_",,"",.)
       local number : subinstr("`number'",".csv","",.)
       save "C:\Users\Sharsted\OneDrive\PhD\Validation\Rensede data\KGC 06\KGC_06_Session_`number'.dta"
       capture log close
log using "C:\Users\Sharsted\OneDrive\PhD\Validation\Rensede data\KGC 06\KGC_06_Session_`number'log.txt", text replace
cd "C:\Users\Sharsted\OneDrive\PhD\Validation\Rensede data\KGC 06"
use KGC_06_Session_`number'.dta, clear
*All my renaming and droping of variables runs
save "KGC_06_Session_`number'_cleaned ", replace
clear
log close