How can I get the trim(), strltrim(), etc. functions in Stata?

[Michael Ryan]

Basically what ssc package do I have to install in order to use those functions in Stata? Or is there another way to remove leading spaces in my data?
Thanks

[Rich Goldstein]

they are built in to Stata; trim() is the old name, strltrim() is the current name (as of version 14 IIRC); type "h function" and click on "string functions" and scroll down

[Michael Ryan]

they are built in to Stata; trim() is the old name, strltrim() is the current name (as of version 14 IIRC); type "h function" and click on "string functions" and scroll down

So I have a string variable called price_string and I'm trying to trim leading spaces off of a bunch of observations.

When I type

. strltrim(price_string)

I get


. strltrim(price_string)
unrecognized command: strltrim
r(199);


And the same happens for any variety of the trim() functions I input.

[William Lisowski]

Welcome to Statalist!

Well, after several edits I see the problem. In post #1 you recognize strltrim as a function, which it is; in post #3 you have used it as a command, which it is not. In Stata, as in most programming languages, function has a specific meaning different from "functionality", and function and command do not have the same meaning. If this doesn't ring a bell, see the output of help function for more details on the use of functions.

[Nick Cox]

strtrim() is the new name of trim().

strltrim() is the new name of ltrim().

[Oded Mcdossi]

In addition, the use of these function should be part of a command.

clear
input str6 price_string
" 3345"
"3455 "
" 2216"
" 0000"
"     "
end
strltrim(price_string)

g new_price=strltrim(price_string)
list, clean
replace new_price=strtrim(price_string)
list, clean
***********



. clear

. input str6 price_string

     price_s~g
  1. " 3345"
  2. "3455 "
  3. " 2216"
  4. " 0000"
  5. "     "
  6. end

. strltrim(price_string)
unrecognized command:  strltrim
r(199);


. g new_price=strltrim(price_string)
(1 missing value generated)

. list, clean

       price_~g   new_pr~e  
  1.       3345       3345  
  2.      3455       3455   
  3.       2216       2216  
  4.       0000       0000  
  5.                        

. replace new_price=strtrim(price_string)
(1 real change made)

. list, clean

       price_~g   new_pr~e  
  1.       3345       3345  
  2.      3455        3455  
  3.       2216       2216  
  4.       0000       0000  
  5.                        

.