Using sampling weights with binscatter

[Laila Voss]

I am trying to construct a binscatter using sampling weights but after reading the documentation, it appears that binscatter only allows analytic and frequency weights. Why doesn't binscatter support sampling weights? Is there a way I can create a binscatter with sampling weights?

[Nick Cox]

binscatter is from SSC, as you are asked to explain.

The documentation is correct: it supports those kinds of weights and there is no hidden support for other kinds. Why not is a question for its author Michael Stepner who is a member here and may respond to pinging; if not, he is easy to find but is no longer at MIT.

My wild guess -- without ever discussing it with him -- is that he wrote for what he needed and held off on implementing a more complicated case he didn't need.

As for how to fix it, if he shows no interest, you won't like the only obvious answer, which may seem trite: the code is there to be cloned and modified, which may or may not be difficult depending principally on how much Stata programming you have done and your understanding of survey weights.

Again -- I don't speak on behalf of Michael, but just generally on my attitude, which doesn't seem much different from that of other people in the community except those who want payment. -- most of us write what we need, and make it available as what may be useful to you too, and sometimes we go beyond that when other suggestions are interesting and practicable.