define a matrix with local variable

[ABNGA MANU]

Good evening,

i want to draw a graph bart. First i need to define a matrix but,

When I execute these codes, stata marks "invalid syntax"

start code******

local xvars mb meg rta ( all categorical variable)

local n: word count `xvars'

matrix T = J(`n', 1, .)

matrix colnames T = type_nbr
matrix rownames T = `xvars'

end code****

I'm not familiar with matrices under stata.
I would like to understand why this code doesn't work.

can we use a local to define a row or column of a matrix as I tried to do.

otherwise would anyone have any other codes to offer me?
thank you

l

[Jack Benhayer]

can we use a local to define a row or column of a matrix as I tried to do.

Yes it is possible and your code should work. Why did you highlight

matrix T = J(`n', 1, .)

Is this command returning an error?

[Clyde Schechter]

I cannot replicate the problem you are having. The code runs without error messages on my setup.

I do note one thing in your code which is probably incorrect, but it does not trigger an error message:
When you write -local xvars mb meg rta ( all categorical variable)-, the text "( all categorical variable)" is part of local macro xvars. Consequently when I run your code, and then list matrix T, Stata gives me:

. matrix list T

T[7,1]
             type_nbr
         mb         .
        meg         .
        rta         .
          (         .
        all         .
categorical         .
  variable)         .

I suspect this is not what you intended. I imagine you intended only to include mb, reg, and rta in the local macro xvars. If I am right about that, you need to set off "( all categorical variable)" as a comment:

local xvars mb meg rta // ( all categorical variable)

[ABNGA MANU]

Yes it is possible and your code should work. Why did you highlight

matrix T = J(`n', 1, .)

Is this command returning an error?

yes it's this command. thank you very much for your answer

[ABNGA MANU]

I cannot replicate the problem you are having. The code runs without error messages on my setup.

I do note one thing in your code which is probably incorrect, but it does not trigger an error message:
When you write -local xvars mb meg rta ( all categorical variable)-, the text "( all categorical variable)" is part of local macro xvars. Consequently when I run your code, and then list matrix T, Stata gives me:

. matrix list T

T[7,1]
type_nbr
mb .
meg .
rta .
( .
all .
categorical .
variable) .

I suspect this is not what you intended. I imagine you intended only to include mb, reg, and rta in the local macro xvars. If I am right about that, you need to set off "( all categorical variable)" as a comment:

local xvars mb meg rta // ( all categorical variable)

thank you for your answer. Sorry i've just added this comment. It's not part of the code.
I really don't understant the matter. i run stata 14. is it possible that the syntax is different or has changed ?

[ABNGA MANU]

This is the complete code.
but but the error message appears at the command highlighted in red

local xvars mb meg rta

***matrix for output

local n: word count `xvars'

matrix T = J(`n', 1, .)
matrix colnames T = type_nbr
matrix rownames T = `xvars'

foreach var in `xvars' {
global `var'label : var label `var'


count if `var'==1
matrix T[rownumb(T, "`var'"), colnum(T, "type_nbr")]=`r(N)'
}

clear
svmat T
rename T1 type_nbr

gen Fintype =""
order Fintype

local i=1
foreach var in `xvars' {
replace Fintype = "$`var'label" in `i'
local i= `i'+ 1

graph bar type_nbr, over (Fintype)

[Nick Cox]

My guess is that you're executing the code line by line from a do-file editor window. If so, then the definition of local macro n is hidden from the line that first uses it. All that said, this looks like a way to draw a bar chart.

gen count = .
gen which = ""
local i = 1

foreach v in mb meg rta {
     count if `v' == 1
     replace count = r(N) in `i'
     replace which = "`: variable label `v''" in `i'
     local ++i
}

graph bar (asis) count, over(which)

is shorter code for what I think you want,

See also https://www.stata.com/statalist/arch.../msg01258.html

[ABNGA MANU]

Thank you very much! the code works perfectly. I will avoid executing my code line by line and I will see what it looks like. thank you very much

My guess is that you're executing the code line by line from a do-file editor window. If so, then the definition of local macro n is hidden from the line that first uses it. All that said, this looks like a way to draw a bar chart.

gen count = .
gen which = ""
local i = 1

foreach v in mb meg rta {
count if `v' == 1
replace count = r(N) in `i'
replace which = "`: variable label `v''" in `i'
local ++i
}

graph bar (asis) count, over(which)

is shorter code for what I think you want,

See also https://www.stata.com/statalist/arch.../msg01258.html