[Nick Cox]

Try again after

set trace on 
set traced 1

and show what it shows just before the error message.

[Laura Anne]

- version 11
- syntax varlist(numeric) [if] [in] ///

[Nick Cox]

I can't see why that should be a problem. What version of Stata are you using?

[Laura Anne]

stata 12

[Laura Anne]

This is my syntax

multiline bvare kevaree ethvaree mdgvare y, xla(2000(2)2014) xtitle("") recast(connected)

Is there any problem with my syntax?

[Nick Cox]

I may be missing something basic, but I am almost out of ideas here. Try

describe  bvare kevaree ethvaree mdgvare y

[Laura Anne]

- version 9
- local version : di "version " string(_caller()) ":"
- syntax [anything] [using] [, SImple REPLACE *]
- if ("`replace'"!="") {
= if (""!="") {
  describe_mk `0'
  return add
  exit
  }
- local varlist `"`anything'"'
= local varlist `"bvare kevaree ethvare mdgvare y"'
- if ("`simple'" == "") {
= if ("" == "") {
- `version' _describe `0'
= version 11: _describe bvare kevaree ethvare mdgvare y

              storage  display     value
variable name   type   format      label      variable label
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
bvare           float  %9.0g                  
kevaree         float  %9.0g                  
ethvare         float  %9.0g                  
mdgvare         float  %9.0g                  
year            int    %8.0g                  Year
- return add
- }
- else {
  if (`"`options'"' != "") {
  di as err "simple may not be combined with other options"
  exit 198
  }
  if (`"`using'"' != "") {
  qui `version' describe `varlist' `using', varlist
  if "`varlist'" == "" {
  local vars "`r(varlist)'"
  }
  else {
  local vars "`varlist'"
  }
  local wid = 2
  local n : list sizeof vars
  if `n'==0 {
  exit
  }
  foreach x of local vars {
  local wid = max(`wid', length(`"`x'"'))
  }
  local wid = `wid' + 2
  local cols = int((`c(linesize)'+1)/`wid')
  if `cols' < 2 {
  foreach x of local `vars' {
  di as txt `col' `"`x'"'
  }
  exit
  }
  local lines = `n'/`cols'
  local lines = int(cond(`lines'>int(`lines'), `lines'+1, `lines'))
  forvalues i=1(1)`lines' {
  local top = min((`cols')*`lines'+`i', `n')
  local col = 1
  forvalues j=`i'(`lines')`top' {
  local x : word `j' of `vars'
  di as txt _column(`col') "`x'" _c
  local col = `col' + `wid'
  }
  di as txt
  }
  qui `version' describe `varlist' `using', short
  return add
  }
  else {
  ds `varlist'
  qui `version' _describe `varlist', short
  return add
  }
  }

[Nick Cox]

Hmm. For your future sanity, now go

set trace off

I can't see what's wrong.

If you want to find one of my email addresses, you could exceptionally send me the dataset directly.

(Anyone else reading this should know that I don't provide private Stata support except in support of my own programs.)

[Laura Anne]

I have emailed the dataset.

[Nick Cox]

Laura Anne sent me the dataset as reported.

This command from #15 and #17

. multiline bvare kevaree ethvaree mdgvare y, xla(2000(2)2014) xtitle("") recast(connected)
variable ethvaree not found
r(111);

didn't work because there is no variable ethvaree (as previously pointed out you must get variable names exactly right).

This worked:

multiline bvare kevaree ethvare mdgvare y, xla(2000(2)2014) xtitle("") recast(connected)

It may also be Laura-Anne accidentally messed up the .ado file in copying and pasting the code somehow. That's all too easy if you don't have a programming knowledge of Stata. I've sent her the file as I have it.

[Nick Cox]

Update: https://www.statalist.org/forums/for...ailable-on-ssc explains that multiline is now posted on SSC.