icalc, intspec - "invalid 'focal' " error

[Owen Gallupe]

Hi,

I'm trying to learn how to use Kaufman's* 'icalc' suite of commands to probe interactions and I'm running into problems on basically the first step (the 'intspec' command).

I try this:

sysuse auto.dta, clear

gen repxtrunk = rep78*trunk

reg price rep78 trunk repxtrunk

intspec, focal(trunk) main((rep78) (trunk)) int2(repxtrunk)

Even with the most basic specification of 'intspec', I get this error:

invalid 'focal'
r(198);

I've looked around for a solution but I haven't found anything. I've even copied the exact examples from pages 189-90 of that book with the same result.

If anyone has any idea, I would love to hear!

Owen Gallupe

p.s., using Stata/MP 14.2 for Mac.

To install 'icalc':

net from http://www.icalcrlk.com

and click on first link.

* Kaufman, R. L. (2019). Interaction Effects in Linear and Generalized Linear Models. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Inc. http://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/inte...els/book253602.

[daniel klein]

Write to the author. There is a fundamental mismatch between the help file and the commands that he provides. In intspec.ado there is not a single call to syntax; the file starts with

program intspec, rclass
version 14.2
args trash
...

implying that the command does not do anything with the input you provide.

Best
Daniel

[Owen Gallupe]

Thank you kindly for looking into this, Daniel. I will follow up with the author.

Regards,

Owen

[Owen Gallupe]

The problem has been solved. There was an errant comma which was causing problems. A typo in the help file has been corrected. Thank you to the author for addressing this so quickly!

This now works:

sysuse auto.dta, clear

gen repxtrunk = rep78*trunk

reg price rep78 trunk repxtrunk

intspec focal(trunk) main((rep78) (trunk)) int2(repxtrunk)

Anyone who previously downloaded these files might want to run an update:

adoupdate icalc, update

Regards,

Owen