From byte (with just missing values) to string

[Diego Malo]

Hello,

I have a database, called "database1", in which variable "location" has format "byte" with just missing values. I want to append to "database1", another database, "database2". However, in this second database, the variable "location" is a string (str33). When I do the append, it gives me the following error: "variable location is byte in master but str33 in using data"

I have tried to convert the variable "location" in "database1" to string in different ways:

decode location, gen(locationa)

Error: location not labeled

recast str33 location, force

Error: location: str33 invalid

That two options does not work. I do not know what else to try. Another possible alternative is when I do the append, use force. However, I would like to explore if there is any way to convert variable "location" from "database1" to string to avoid to use force in the append.

[Rich Goldstein]

help destring

and look at the instructions for -tostring-

[Nick Cox]

It's a case for tostring

tostring location,  replace

or

generate swap = strofreal(location)
drop location
rename swap location

which is pretty much what tostring does any way (I was the original author).

[Diego Malo]

Thank you Both! I used tostring command, and it worked!