forvalues loop with the use of local values

[Chorthip Utoktham]

I got stuck in using forvalues with local values. I have variable x as an integer 1-100. I would like to separate my file based on x. So I summarize x to ret r(min) and r(max) and assign local names.

Here is my example.

use "${UPDATE2020}abcd-wip01.dta", clear
summ x, detail
local low=r(min)
local hi=r(max)

forvalues i=`low'/`hi' {
use "${UPDATE2020}abcd-wip01.dta", clear
di "keep `i'"
keep if x==`i'
saveold "${UPDATE2020}tariff-wip01-keep`i'.dta", replace
}

However, I get an error from Stata 16.1 as

invalid syntax
r(198);

I have no clues why giving the name for r(min)/r(max) gives an error to the code. I used the code above for Stata 13.1 a year ago and it worked fine. Kindly let me know if there is any change in Stata Syntax I should know.

Strangely, when I use r(min)/r(max) directly to this code, it works fine for me.

use "${UPDATE2020}abcd-wip01.dta", clear
summ x, detail

forvalues i=`r(min)'/`r(max)' {
use "${UPDATE2020}abcd-wip01.dta", clear
di "keep `i'"
keep if x==`i'
saveold "${UPDATE2020}abcd-wip01-keep`i'.dta", replace
}

Are there any ways I can assign the new names to the stored values as local values for Stata 16.1? Kindly let me know.

Best,
Chorthip

[Ken Chui]

Try change that -display- command into:

display "keep " `i'

[Chorthip Utoktham]

Thank you very much. It works. And with your technique, I also try

 
 display " keep `i' "

and it works too. I cannot figure out why it works but it does work.

Thank you for a great tip.