How to split locals' names into two parts

[Peter Lustig]

Hi folks,

i couldn't find a solution for my problem. I have the following variable list with not only two but possibly up to 200 "variable" names:

local sheetlist "57-C_PPP 57A-C_NC"

I would like to split each string within my sheetlist by the delimiter "-". The part following the delimiter is my actual variable name. I tried to use the split command but i don't think this works for local variable names.


I also have got another problem. I would like to import a string from just one single excel cell and want to store it in order to use it for the label of a variable in my data set. Which type of import makes more sense to achieve my goal? The cell A3 contains the text I would like to store.

import excel MSTI_2015-2.xlsx, sheet("57-C_PPP") cellrange(A3:A3)
import excel MSTI_2015-2.xlsx, sheet("57-C_PPP") cellrange(A3:A3) firstrow

Does anyone have any suggestions which commands to use?




Thanks a lot!

[daniel klein]

Here is one way

local sheetlist "57-C_PPP 57A-C_NC"
foreach name of local sheetlist {
    local pos = strpos("`name'", "-") + 1
    local name = substr("`name'", `pos', .)
    local newlist `newlist' `name'
}
display "`newlist'"

For more type

help string functions

Best
Daniel

[Nick Cox]

It's really the contents of the local macro, not the names of the local macros, that you want to split. I mention this for anyone confused by the thread title.

The command split is indeed for data, and doesn't apply otherwise.

[Peter Lustig]

Daniel, thanks for the code. i knew these commands you used (strpos and substr) but i didn't know they would work for macros as well. i am a bit angry with myself. i think i should have been able to do this.

sorry for the misunderstanding in the title. i am still too confused with all these different expressions. i try to be more precise next time.

concerning the second problem i could deal with it. so that's it luckily.

thanks a lot!