How to rename multiple variables

[Chul-Kyoo Jung]

Hi, I tried to rename many variables in the following way, but it doesn't seem to work.

rename (v1 v2 v3 v4 v5 v6) (v3 v1 v4 v6 v5 v2)

rename v# v#, renumber

(My intention is to change v1 to v3, v2 to v1, v3 to v4, and so on.)

Is this command limited to only three variables? Is there any easier way to do so?
Thanks

[daniel klein]

Those are all meaningless names. If you really want that, get the variables in the correct order (see help order), then

rename * v# , renumber

[Nick Cox]

The # #syntax is useless for what you want. How would rename be expected to know that you want 3 1 4 6 5 2?

But

rename v# (v3 v1 v4 v6 v5 v2)

should work (unless you have e.g. v7 too).

[Clyde Schechter]

In what sense does it not "seem to work." For me it does exactly what you say you want to do:

. clear*

. set obs 1
Number of observations (_N) was 0, now 1.

. forvalues i = 1/7 {
  2.     gen `:word `i' of `c(alpha)'' = "originally `:word `i' of `c(alpha)''"
  3. }

.
. list, noobs clean

               a              b              c              d              e              f              g  
    originally a   originally b   originally c   originally d   originally e   originally f   originally g  

.
. rename (a b c d g e f) (b c a e f d g)

.
. list, noobs clean

               b              c              a              e              d              g              f  
    originally a   originally b   originally c   originally d   originally e   originally f   originally g

Please post back with example data that illustrates the problem you are having. Also show exactly the command you are using, and show exactly the output you are getting from Stata. And if it is not blatantly obvious, explain in what way what you are getting is not what you need.

Show your commands and Stata results by copying them from your Results window or log file to your clipboard, and then pasting here in the forum between code delimiters. Use the -dataex- command to show example data. If you are running version 17, 16 or a fully updated version 15.1 or 14.2, -dataex- is already part of your official Stata installation. If not, run -ssc install dataex- to get it. Either way, run -help dataex- to read the simple instructions for using it. -dataex- will save you time; it is easier and quicker than typing out tables. It includes complete information about aspects of the data that are often critical to answering your question but cannot be seen from tabular displays or screenshots. It also makes it possible for those who want to help you to create a faithful representation of your example to try out their code, which in turn makes it more likely that their answer will actually work in your data.

Added: Crossed with #2 and #3

[Chul-Kyoo Jung]

Here is my data:

* Example generated by -dataex-. To install: ssc install dataex
clear
input str1 v1 byte v2 int v3 byte v4 long(v5 v6 v7 v8) byte(v9 v10 v11 v12 v13 v14 v15 v16) int(v17 v18 v19 v20 v21 v22 v23 v24 v25 v26 v27 v28) long(v29 v30)
"C" 10 1936 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  486 468 18  487 121 119  2 121  607  587 20  608 13467 4950
"C" 10 1950 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  363 361  2  363  99  96  3  99  462  457  5  462 11266 3073
"C" 10 1950 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  875 875  0  876 231 222  9 230 1106 1097  9 1106 19972 7590
"C" 10 1955 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1015 964 51 1029 209 192 17 212 1224 1156 68 1241 29097 6719
"C" 10 1956 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   95  95  0   95  30  24  6  30  125  119  6  125  2553  930
"C" 10 1957 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    6   6  0    6   1   0  1   1    8    7  1    8   120   17
"C" 10 1963 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  379 364 15  379  59  59  0  59  438  423 15  438  9467 1589
"C" 10 1965 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    6   6  0    6   3   2  1   3   10    9  1   10   154   71
"C" 10 1967 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    3   3  0    3   1   1  0   1    5    5  0    5    31   15
"C" 10 1969 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    8   8  0    8   5   4  1   5   13   12  1   13   125  124
"C" 10 1971 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    6   6  0    6   2   1  1   2    8    7  1    8    96   28
"C" 10 1971 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    6   6  0    6   3   2  1   3    9    8  1    9    96   42
"C" 10 1971 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    7   7  0    7   4   3  1   4   11   10  1   11   100   68
"C" 10 1972 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1    5   5  0    5   1   0  1   1    8    6  2    8   115   10
"C" 10 1972 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    5   0  5    5   0   0  0   0    6    1  5    6    15    0
"C" 10 1972 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    7   7  0    7   9   6  3   9   16   13  3   16   208  278
"C" 10 1973 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1    4   2  2    4   0   0  0   0    6    4  2    6    58    0
"C" 10 1973 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    6   6  0    6   3   2  1   3   10    9  1   10    80   40
"C" 10 1973 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    7   7  0    7   1   0  1   1    9    8  1    9   173   14
"C" 10 1974 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    3   3  0    3   7   4  3   7   10    7  3   10    72  174
"C" 10 1975 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    6   5  1    6   5   4  1   5   11    9  2   11    96  143
"C" 10 1975 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    5   5  0    5   2   1  1   2    7    6  1    7    88   34
"C" 10 1976 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    4   4  0    4   2   1  1   2    7    6  1    7    72   32
"C" 10 1978 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    7   7  0    7   1   1  0   1    9    9  0    9   136   28
"C" 10 1978 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    4   2  2    4   3   2  1   3    7    4  3    7    62   61
"C" 10 1978 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    9   9  0    6   5   3  2   5   14   12  2   11   188  147
"C" 10 1978 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0    6   3  3    6   1   0  1   1    8    3  5    8    84    8
"C" 10 1979 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    3   2  1    3   3   3  0   3    6    5  1    6    30   54
"C" 10 1979 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   11  10  1   11   0   0  0   0   11   10  1   11   273    0
"C" 10 1979 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0    5   5  0    5   4   3  1   4   10    8  2   10    69   57
"C" 10 1981 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   17  17  0   17  19  16  3  19   36   33  3   36   416  539
"C" 10 1982 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 2 1 1 0 1    2   2  0    2   0   0  0   0    5    4  1    5    30    0
"C" 10 1982 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  231 217 14  271  28  26  2  37  259  243 16  308  7958 1091
"C" 10 1983 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    4   4  0    4   2   1  1   2    7    6  1    7    74   27
"C" 10 1983 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   11  11  0   11   7   6  1   7   18   17  1   18   183  137
"C" 10 1984 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    4   4  0    4   0   0  0   0    5    5  0    5    65    0
"C" 10 1986 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0   10   8  2    8   4   2  2   4   15   11  4   13   112   49
"C" 10 1988 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    9   9  0    9   4   3  1   4   14   13  1   14   184  106
"C" 10 1990 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   11  11  0   11   3   2  1   3   14   13  1   14   214  219
"C" 10 1990 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0   36  36  0   36   3   2  1   3   40   39  1   40   878   87
"C" 10 1990 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0   34  34  0   32   6   5  1   6   41   40  1   39   754  185
"C" 10 1990 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    6   6  0    6   1   1  0   1    8    8  0    8    80   15
"C" 10 1991 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0   64  64  0   64   2   1  1   2   67   66  1   67  1503   68
"C" 10 1991 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0   31  31  0   31   2   1  1   2   34   33  1   34   722   52
"C" 10 1992 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    7   7  0    7   1   0  1   1    8    7  1    8   172   15
"C" 10 1992 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    3   3  0    3   3   2  1   3    6    5  1    6    29   29
"C" 10 1992 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  101 101  0  101   6   5  1   6  107  106  1  107  2756  105
"C" 10 1992 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  164 159  5  164  32  31  1  32  196  190  6  196  3570 1105
"C" 10 1994 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    3   3  0    3   2   0  2   2    5    3  2    5    63   45
"C" 10 1994 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1    5   4  1    5   0   0  0   0    7    5  2    7    75    0
"C" 10 1995 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0   10  10  0   13   1   0  1   1   12   11  1   15   354   10
"C" 10 1995 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  199 183 16  198  37  33  4  37  236  216 20  235  5093 1000
"C" 10 1995 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0   22  19  3   22  14  13  1  14   37   33  4   37   404  397
"C" 10 1996 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    4   2  2    4   1   1  0   1    5    3  2    5   133   22
"C" 10 1996 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1    4   4  0    4   1   0  1   1    7    5  2    7    68   12
"C" 10 1996 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0   69  69  0   69   1   0  1   1   71   70  1   71  1372   18
"C" 10 1997 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    3   3  0    5   5   3  2   4    8    6  2    9   110   70
"C" 10 1997 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   22  22  0   22   4   3  1   4   26   25  1   26   352   80
"C" 10 1998 4 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 3 0 0 0 0    4   4  0    4   1   0  1   1    8    7  1    8    73   12
"C" 10 1998 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0   11  10  1   11   2   2  0   2   14   13  1   14   150   28
"C" 10 1998 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0    6   6  0    6   2   2  0   2    9    8  1    9    72   26
"C" 10 1999 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    6   6  0    5   3   2  1   4   10    9  1   10    71   67
"C" 10 2001 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0   12  11  1   12   1   0  1   1   14   12  2   14    80    6
"C" 10 2001 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   11  11  0   11  10   6  4  10   21   17  4   21   320  262
"C" 10 2001 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    6   6  0    6   3   2  1   3    9    8  1    9    72   46
"C" 10 2002 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 0   81  81  0   81   3   2  1   3   86   85  1   86  2292   83
"C" 10 2002 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    3   3  0    3   3   2  1   3    6    5  1    6    51   55
"C" 10 2002 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   20  20  0   20   9   8  1   9   29   28  1   29   435  135
"C" 10 2002 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0   27  27  0   27   1   0  1   1   29   28  1   29   360    8
"C" 10 2002 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0    5   5  0    5   0   0  0   0    6    5  1    6    27    0
"C" 10 2002 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    6   6  0    3   3   2  1   3   10    9  1    7    83   42
"C" 10 2002 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 0   10  10  0   10   5   3  2   5   17   15  2   17   119   60
"C" 10 2003 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    9   4  5    9   0   0  0   0    9    4  5    9    56    0
"C" 11 1989 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   18  18  0   18  19  18  1  19   37   36  1   37   455  426
"C" 11 1999 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    3   3  0    3   1   0  1   1    5    4  1    5    30    6
"C" 11 2001 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   34  32  2   30  13  12  1  12   47   44  3   42   389  207
"C" 12 1946 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   14   7  7   14   0   0  0   0   14    7  7   14   166    0
"C" 12 1948 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   29  29  0   29   6   4  2   6   35   33  2   35   928  192
"C" 12 1956 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0   10   7  3   10   0   0  0   0   11    8  3   11   100    0
"C" 12 1957 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    9   4  5    9   0   0  0   0   10    5  5   10    78    0
"C" 12 1957 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    9   5  4    9   0   0  0   0   10    6  4   10    75    0
"C" 12 1960 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 2 0 0 0 0    6   6  0    6   0   0  0   0    8    7  1    8    27    0
"C" 12 1964 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1    4   4  0    4   0   0  0   0    6    6  0    6    25    0
"C" 12 1964 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0    7   4  3    7   8   8  0   8   15   12  3   15    96  210
"C" 12 1964 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    6   6  0    6   2   2  0   2    9    9  0    9   100   20
"C" 12 1965 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   42  42  0   42   7   5  2   7   49   47  2   49   663  126
"C" 12 1966 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1    4   4  0    4   1   0  1   1    7    5  2    7    48   15
"C" 12 1967 4 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 2 0 0 0 0   19  19  0   19   1   0  1   1   22   20  2   22   388   18
"C" 12 1968 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   74  74  0   74  14  10  4  14   88   84  4   88  2167  558
"C" 12 1968 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   20  20  0   20  12   8  4  12   32   28  4   32   440  312
"C" 12 1969 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    4   4  0    4   0   0  0   0    5    5  0    5    42    0
"C" 12 1969 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0   13  13  0   13   1   0  1   1   15   14  1   15   201   12
"C" 12 1970 4 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 2 0 0 0 0    3   3  0    3   0   0  0   0    5    4  1    5    18    0
"C" 12 1970 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    9   9  0    9   1   1  0   1   11   11  0   11    54    6
"C" 12 1971 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   10   6  4   10   4   4  0   4   14   10  4   14   136   70
"C" 12 1971 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1    3   3  0    3   0   0  0   0    5    4  1    5    24    0
"C" 12 1972 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    7   7  0    7   7   6  1   7   15   14  1   15   140  139
"C" 12 1972 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   13  11  2   13   3   2  1   3   16   13  3   16   316  124
"C" 12 1972 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   33  17 16   33  24  16  8  20   57   33 24   53   586  373
"C" 12 1972 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0    3   3  0    3   7   7  0   7   11   11  0   11    60  122
end
label values v2 v2CD

All I want is to rename variables in following way: (change v24 to v25, v25 to v27, v26 to v28, v27 to v26, v28 to v24)

[Clyde Schechter]

list v24 v25 v26 v27 v28 in 1/5, noobs clean
rename (v24 v25 v26 v27 v28) (v25 v27 v28 v26 v24)
list v25 v27 v28 v26 v24 in 1/5, noobs clean

(The -list- commands are just to demonstrate that the -rename- worked correctly. In your production code, there is no need for them.)

[Chul-Kyoo Jung]

Thanks a lot, now I realize that I messed up the order in my previous code. Thanks to your helps, now I complete cleaning with the code:

order v*, sequential