Destringing values with multiple dots

[Jozef Patrnciak]

Hi, I want to destring a variable where some observations are by mistake coded with multiple dots like 1.999.645.000. I dont want to keep values like this but to replace them with just dot so I can then proceed to destring the variable.

I tried to use the following code:

replace data ="." if strpos(data, ".000.")!=0
replace data ="." if strpos(data, ".999.")!=0

because many of these nonsense variables have .000. or .999. somewhere in them but not all of them. Any advice on how I could drop an observation if there are more than two dots in it or something which would help?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[Clyde Schechter]

Try this:

replace data = "." if strmatch(data, "*.*.*")