changing numeric string to numeric variable where e5 next to a number means 10^5

[Minahil Fatima]

I have a string variable of the type show below, where 63e5 represents 6300000. How do I change it 63e5 to its numeric form.

x
------------
0
1864071
NA
940268.89
22557529
0
63e5
NA
37631925
NA
8006659.83
0
NA
NA

[Minahil Fatima]

i figured it out!

split x, parse("e")
replace x1 = "." if fob_amnt == "NA"
destring x1, replace
destring x2, replace
gen y = x1*10^x2 if x2 != .
replace y = x1 if x2 == .

[Nick Cox]

Stata understands scientific notation. So, there is only one inescapable detail, to insist on ignoring "NA".

clear 
input str9 x 
0
1864071
NA
940268.89
22557529
0
63e5
NA
37631925
NA
8006659.83
0
NA
NA
end 

destring x, gen(X) ignore("NA")

list 

     +-----------------------+
     |         x           X |
     |-----------------------|
  1. |         0           0 |
  2. |   1864071     1864071 |
  3. |        NA           . |
  4. | 940268.89   940268.89 |
  5. |  22557529    22557529 |
     |-----------------------|
  6. |         0           0 |
  7. |      63e5     6300000 |
  8. |        NA           . |
  9. |  37631925    37631925 |
 10. |        NA           . |
     |-----------------------|
 11. | 8006659.8   8006659.8 |
 12. |         0           0 |
 13. |        NA           . |
 14. |        NA           . |
     +-----------------------+