Nested loop syntax error

[Yashna Shivdasani]

Hi All,

I am trying to create a loop in stata that looks like the following-

foreach m of mnf_num {
foreach n of num_date {
drop if first_pos_qtr<n-4 & last_pos_qtr>n
tab brgroups
tab bigclass_num
tab formgroups
}
}

But I keep getting an invalid syntax error. Any edits I could make to the code so that this works? Thanks so much!

[Rich Goldstein]

this is quite confusing: (1) each of your two -foreach- commands includes only one element so there is no reason to use -foreach-; (2) you never use `m'; (3) you never use `n' (though maybe your reference to n is supposed to be `n'?)

please read the FAQ which will tell you, among other things, how to post using CODE delimiters and also gives advice on asking questions

[Carole J. Wilson]

1) Are mnf_num and num_date variables or local macros? If they are variables and you want to reference their values, you need to use a macro to hold those values (possibly through -levelsof-) or use a numlist. So your loop should begin with:

foreach m of local mnf_num {

or

foreach m of numlist 1 2 3 4 {

2) You need to reference your macros with appropriate "adornments" within the loops:

drop if first_pos_qtr<n-4 & last_pos_qtr>n

should be

drop if first_pos_qtr<`n'-4 & last_pos_qtr>`n'

3) There is no reference to `m' in the code you sent, so I'm not sure if you need that loop.