recode numeric variable with letters in it

[Yapeng Wang]

Hi, in my data, the birth year variable is as follows. You can see that the elements in this variable is not numeric year, but "01 Jan 36". I want to recode "01 Jan 36" into 1936. However, I found this variable is not a string variable but a numeric variable. Thus, "01 Jan 36" is not value labels but values. How can I recode the value "01 Jan 36" into the value 1936. I would appreciate your help. Thanks!

[Clyde Schechter]

You can see that the elements in this variable is not numeric year, but "01 Jan 36". I want to recode "01 Jan 36" into 1936. However, I found this variable is not a string variable but a numeric variable.

There are at least two distinct possibilities for what this variable is, and the answer to your question is very different, depending on which of those is the case. It cannot be discerned from a listing of output like this. In order to get an answer to your question you have to show an example of the data using the -dataex- command.

If you are running Stata version 15.1, or a completely updated version 14.2, then it is part of your official installation. If not, then run -ssc install dataex- to get it. Either way, then run -help dataex- to read the simple instructions for using it. Then use it to show an example of the data for this variable by running -dataex qa02-. Copy Stata's output from that command here into the Forum following the instructions from -help dataex-. Only with that will it be possible to solve your problem.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of using -dataex- here. Do not post a screenshot of the Browser, nor another image of -list- or -tab- output: that will be useless.

[Yapeng Wang]

There are at least two distinct possibilities for what this variable is, and the answer to your question is very different, depending on which of those is the case. It cannot be discerned from a listing of output like this. In order to get an answer to your question you have to show an example of the data using the -dataex- command.

If you are running Stata version 15.1, or a completely updated version 14.2, then it is part of your official installation. If not, then run -ssc install dataex- to get it. Either way, then run -help dataex- to read the simple instructions for using it. Then use it to show an example of the data for this variable by running -dataex qa02-. Copy Stata's output from that command here into the Forum following the instructions from -help dataex-. Only with that will it be possible to solve your problem.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of using -dataex- here. Do not post a screenshot of the Browser, nor another image of -list- or -tab- output: that will be useless.

Thank you, Clyde. Here is the dataex output.

* Example generated by -dataex-. To install: ssc install dataex
clear
input long qa02
-1279
-5631
 9709
 2070
 -426
-3958
 2830
-7305
 3378
-2801
  425
  731
-1370
-1583
-4932
 3257
-1918
 8735
 2251
 7640
-4231
10379
-3986
-4048
  244
-7427
 8248
-1126
 6453
 9375
 -457
 1947
-7639
 2616
 8491
 5844
-2283
-3897
  -31
-1064
-3805
 2922
 4322
 2282
 9921
-4231
   31
 4049
-2160
 8340
-4048
 7944
 8521
 -730
-7366
-5205
 3013
 3622
-6758
-1430
-2040
-7184
 1674
-7701
-6605
-7519
-7274
-4717
-6454
 7487
-7976
 1308
-7731
-6666
 -153
 4352
 2192
 7336
-7214
 -883
-5509
 1247
 7944
 6848
 -822
 4596
 1917
-5875
 7610
-8341
  821
 2769
 -457
-3836
 -791
-5509
 1065
-1614
 -610
 -914
end
format %tdD_m_Y qa02

------------------ copy up to and including the previous line ------------------

Listed 100 out of 10151 observations
Use the count() option to list more

.

[Nick Cox]

Thanks for the data example

gen year = year(qa02)

[Yapeng Wang]

Thanks for the data example

gen year = year(qa02)

It works. Thank you, Nick!