Generating variables and lables

[Muhammad Ramzan]

Hi

I am creating a do file and have to rename and generate (gen) variables.

is there a way that I can write a variable label at the end of the gen command? like
gen secondary=1 if v106>=2 & v106~=. /*Mother any secondary*/

Thanks

[Muhammad Ramzan]

how I can create variable labels side by side with the gen command, please

[Hemanshu Kumar]

No, I'm afraid that is now how Stata syntax works. However, you can define a value label beforehand and attach it to a variable when you generate it. E.g.

label define MOM_EDU 1 "Mother any secondary" 2 "Mother primary" 3 "Mother illiterate"
gen secondary: MOM_EDU = 1 if v106>=2 & v106~=.
replace secondary = 2 if ...
replace secondary = 3 if ...

where the ... is for you to fill in.

See also

help generate
help label

[Nick Cox]

I think the question is about variable labels, but the answer there is similar. There isn't official syntax for defining the variable label along with generate.

In a first draft of a do-file you could always write some initial abbreviation and then do a replace in a text editor with repeated text such as label var

I do have a suggestion to cut down your typing. The sample code starts

gen secondary=1 if v106>=2 & v106~=.

which looks like the first part of defining an indicator (dummy) variable. (So, my guess is different from Hemanshu Kumar.)

So I imagine a follow-up command such as

r

replace secondary = 0 if secondary == .

If that is what you want, you can get straight there with

gen secondary=v106>=2 & v106~=.

if you want a (0, 1) variable or with

gen secondary=v106>=2 if v106~=.

if you want a (0, 1, .) variable.

See https://www.stata.com/support/faqs/d...rue-and-false/ or https://www.stata-journal.com/articl...article=dm0099 for more discussion.

[daniel klein]

It could be programmed (and has been; see, e.g., regen from SSC) but it is probably not worth the effort. It is actually pretty hard to come up with something much shorter, more convenient, and still easily readable than

generate newvar =exp
label variable newvar "label"