Setting Initial Parameters

[Riccardo Busin]

Set initial parameters

Good morning
I open this thread to ask if in Stata it is possible to create initial parameters (to change them according to requests).
To explain myself better, I give a practical example.
This is my initial situation:

forvalues i = 1/7 {
gen CAPINV`=2012+`i'' = 0
foreach j of numlist 214(7)269 {
replace CAPINV`=2012+`i'' = CAPINV`=2012+`i'' + v`=`j'+`i''
}
}

forvalues i = 1/7 {
gen D`=2012+`i'' = 0
foreach j of numlist 248(7)269 {
replace D`=2012+`i'' = D`=2012+`i'' + v`=`j'+`i''
}
}

Come vedete il numero 7 appare quattro volte (nei due forvalues e nei due foreach).
Vorrei creare un parametro (ad esempio x=7) che mi permettesse di cambiare quel determinato numero solo una volta. Ad esempio:

x=7

forvalues i = 1/x {
gen CAPINV`=2012+`i'' = 0
foreach j of numlist 214(x)269 {
replace CAPINV`=2012+`i'' = CAPINV`=2012+`i'' + v`=`j'+`i''
}
}

forvalues i = 1/x {
gen D`=2012+`i'' = 0
foreach j of numlist 248(x)269 {
replace D`=2012+`i'' = D`=2012+`i'' + v`=`j'+`i''
}
}

or
x = 8

forvalues i = 1/x {
gen CAPINV`=2012+`i'' = 0
foreach j of numlist 214(x)269 {
replace CAPINV`=2012+`i'' = CAPINV`=2012+`i'' + v`=`j'+`i''
}
}

forvalues i = 1/x {
gen D`=2012+`i'' = 0
foreach j of numlist 248(x)269 {
replace D`=2012+`i'' = D`=2012+`i'' + v`=`j'+`i''
}
}

So directly change the number only in the paramtero without having to change it in all the formulas (here I have reported only two formulas, but I have several as well). is this possible in Stata (similar to Matlab)? Thanks!

[Clyde Schechter]

Like this:

local x = 7
forvalues i = 1/`x' {
    gen CAPINV`=2012+`i'' = 0
    foreach j of numlist 214(`x')269 {
        replace ... /etc.
   }
}

forvalues i = 1/`x' {
    gen D`=2012+`i'' = 0
    foreach j of numlist 248(`x')269 {
        replace D`=2012+`i'' = ... // etc.
    }
}

will give you the code with x = 7. If you want to change it to 8, just change that first command to -local x = 8- and the change will be carried forward in the rest of the code.

[Riccardo Busin]

Like this:

local x = 7
forvalues i = 1/`x' {
gen CAPINV`=2012+`i'' = 0
foreach j of numlist 214(`x')269 {
replace ... /etc.
}
}

forvalues i = 1/`x' {
gen D`=2012+`i'' = 0
foreach j of numlist 248(`x')269 {
replace D`=2012+`i'' = ... // etc.
}
}

will give you the code with x = 7. If you want to change it to 8, just change that first command to -local x = 8- and the change will be carried forward in the rest of the code.

I thank you once again. Your help has been truly invaluable. These tips will be very helpful in writing the code required for my university research. Thanks again!