how to create tempfile named according to value of a local in a loop?

[Franz Gerbig]

Hi!

I have 19 files, and want Stata to create a tempfile for each one, but named differently.
How may I create a tempfile named according to the actual value of a local in a loop?
What I do is a filesearch for some datasets, change them somehow (mycode), and then (via some regexr) create a local containing the tempfile name, respectively.

Here's some (pretty nonsense) example for the sake of illustration. This is - I guess - a more a general question, and not so much depending on specific data, anyway:

input filename
"StudyX_spWork_R_12-0-1.dta"
end
save "StudyX_spWork_R_12-0-1.dta"
clear

input filename
"StudyX_spTravel_T_12-0-1.dta"
end
save "StudyX_spTravel_T_12-0-1.dta"
clear

input filename
"StudyX_spSports_S_12-0-1.dta"
end
save "StudyX_spSports_S_12-0-1.dta"
clear

input filename
"StudyX_Z_12-0-1.dta"
end
save "StudyX_Z_12-0-1.dta"

qui filesearch *_sp*, dir($pathin)
foreach file in `r(filenames)' {
preserve
di "create tempfile of `file'"
qui use $pathin`file', clear
qui include $pathdo/mycode
local tmp = regexr(regexr("`file'", "^StudyX_", ""), "_12-0-1.dta$", "")
di "designated name for tempfile: `tmp'"
tempfile `"`tmp'"'
save $pathout/`tmp', replace
restore
 }

With

set trace on

, I can see, all but one line are executed well - why not the

save $pathout/`tmp', replace

? The error message states

"_spWork invalid name

, below tempfile `"`tmp'"' the (correct) traced result is

tempfile `"spWork"'

, though!

[Franz Gerbig]

Well, writing the last lines of the above posting (#1), I figured out: No need to worry! Due to the syntax in the help entry (attached above), I supposed the use of a local value must not be used as name of a tempfile. But ...

tempfile `tmp'
save $pathout/`tmp', replace

... do work well!

(I decided to post the issue (#1), however, since there might be users having the same question (or barrier?) in mind - and, the post was almost done .)

The issue now is: the tempfiles created in one .do are not found by the (e.g.) use `spWork' in another one! Since, I use the command include (and not do or run), the use of different .do shouldn't matter, should it?

[Franz Gerbig]

The issue now is: the tempfiles created in one .do are not found by the (e.g.) use `spWork' in another one! Since, I use the command include (and not do or run), the use of different .do shouldn't matter, should it?

OK, got it! Of course, the issue is not the

include

, but the single quotes in the

save $pathout/`tmp', replace

! With compound* single quotes ... it works!

save $pathout/``tmp'', replace

Thx anyway - in case, you have started a reply, yet!

*Is that the right term? I'm somewhat lost between single, double, compound, nested, and some combination of those quotes (cf

h quotes

).

[Bjarte Aagnes]

ref #3

save $pathout/``tmp'', replace

On MS Windows (with the environment variable TEMP set) the code above should not run if following

tempfile `tmp'

because Stata tempfiles are saved in tmpdir and reference to a tempfile contain the full path of the temporary file:

tempfile test
display "`test'"
display "`c(tmpdir)'"

---

The following example may help:

*** dofile names.do **********

sysuse auto

local names `c(Wdays)'

foreach name of local names {
    
    tempfile `name'
    
    save "``name''"        
}

******************************

include names.do

local names `c(Wdays)'

foreach name of local names {

    mac dir _`name'
    dir "``name''"        
}

[Franz Gerbig]

somewhat late, but ... thanks a lot Bjarte!