Add blank space before specific word in label var

[Rodrigo Badilla]

Hi all,

I am trying to add blank space for some specific word (Cost) when exist typo in label var, example of my data:

clear all

input cost1 cost2 cost3 cost4
. . . .
end
label var cost1 "TotalCost Machinery1"
label var cost2 "VarCost Machinery2"
label var cost3 "RandomCost Machinery3"
label var cost4 "ExternalCost Machinery4"

My goal is insert a blank space before the word: "Cost" in label var that have a wrong label var: cost1, cost2 and cost4.

I tried with:

foreach var of varlist * {
    local varlabel : var label `var'
    local newname = regexr("`varlabel'", "(.)+\Cost", " Cost")
    label variable `var' "`newname'"
}

But only split the var label:

[Scott Merryman]

Here is one way:

clear all

input cost1 cost2 cost3 cost4
. . . .
end
label var cost1 "TotalCost Machinery1"
label var cost2 "VarCost Machinery2"
label var cost3 "RandomCost Machinery3"
label var cost4 "ExternalCost Machinery4"

forv i = 1/4 {
    local a: variable label cost`i'
    local b = subinstr("`a'", "Cost", " Cost",.)
    label variable cost`i' "`b'"
}
describe

[Rodrigo Badilla]

Thanks Scott,

Was so easy, My focus was wrong using regexr.

Thanks

[daniel klein]

It does not add anything to solve the core problem, but elabel (SSC, SJ, GitHub) could conveniently replace the loop:

elabel variable (*) (=subinstr(@, "Cost", " Cost", .))

[Rodrigo Badilla]

Thanks Daniel for you reply. Its true "elabel" always fix all the problems.