A question on macro expression.

[Victor Smith]

If we want to write i = i + 1, we could use ++i.

I wonder if there is also a short expression for i = i + 2 (or any number > 2)?

[Joro Kolev]

I do not think that such a thing exists, and I do not see why you would need such a thing.

You can check yourself, these are called macro "expansion operators" and the procedure of applying those to macros is called "incrementing a macro". (I think.)

[Joro Kolev]

This article here "Speaking Stata: Problems with lists" by Nick Cox has a discussion on macro incrementing and decrementing:

https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstre...art_pr0009.pdf

[Nick Cox]

#1 Short answer is no. Some languages have such short-cuts, but not Stata or Mata.

[William Lisowski]

If I restate the question in post #1 as wanting to eliminate a line of code thusly

In writing code, I can replace

local i = `i' + 1
..... `i' ....

with

..... `++i' ....

Is there a similar shortcut when adding some number other than 1?

I can then suggest using the expression macro expansion operator

..... `=`i'+42' ....