anycount

[Fadzai Chikwava]

Dear all

I would like to count the number of values across 5 numeric variables. I tried using "anycount", but there is a wide range of values for me to list all of them in the option statement and the syntax wont allow me to specify range:

2 syntaxes I tried below:

egen sum_xy = anycount (x y z v w), value (1,2,3,4......1000)

egen sum_xy = anycount (x y z v w), value (1-1000)

[Clyde Schechter]

numlist "1/1000"
egen sum_xy= anycount(x y z v w), values(`r(numlist)')

By the way, sum_xy sounds like a confusing, if not misleading, name for a variable that is calculated in this way. It's usually a good practice to give variables names that actually describe what they are/do.

[Fadzai Chikwava]

Thanks Clyde

[Nick Cox]

That code is going to imply a loop over 5 variables and another loop over 1000 distinct values.

What is the real issue? e.g.: values at or below 1000? Are non-integers possible?

gen wanted = x <= 1000 

foreach v in y z v w { 
     replace wanted = wanted + (`v' <= 1000)
}

where naturally you should specify the wanted condition directly. For example, if is really is an integer between 1 and 1000, then start with

gen wanted = inrange(x, 1, 1000) & floor(x) == x

[Fadzai Chikwava]

Thanks so much