Value Label on states

[Stephanie Leigh]

I am trying to make a variable (state_num) for the 50 states and D.C. where Alabama ==1, Alaska ==2, etc. I have the variable "state" where they are all listed by name. Is there a quicker way to do this than replace state_num=1 if state=="Alabama". I could have done that in the time it's taken me to try and figure this out, but I am trying to learn the tips and tricks. I have been out of the stata game for some time now and trying to relearn. Thank you!

[William Lisowski]

The encode command should give you what you want, see the output of help encode for details.

[Justin Niakamal]

Perhaps statastates (from SSC) will do what you ask. However, I've never used it.

package statastates from http://fmwww.bc.edu/repec/bocode/s
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TITLE
      'STATASTATES': module to add US state identifiers to dataset

DESCRIPTION/AUTHOR(S)
      
       statastates is a simple Stata module for adding U.S. state
      identifiers (abbreviation, name, and FIPS code) that may be
      missing from your dataset.
      
      KW: data management
      KW: US states
      
      Requires: Stata version 10
      
      Distribution-Date: 20180110
      
      Author: William L. Schpero, Yale University
      Support: email [email protected]
      

INSTALLATION FILES                          (type net install statastates)
      statastates.ado
      statastates.sthlp
      statastates_data.ado
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(type ssc install statastates to install)

[Stephanie Leigh]

Thank you! I used encode and it was super easy!