labeling a variable

[Paris Rira]

Dear all,

There is a string variable: cod_fluxo

I am going to show this variable in this way. First dedicating value 1= IMPORTS and 2 =EXPORTS. I mean instead of 1 and 2 I need to be shown as IMPORTS & EXPORTS.
Second, labeling IMPORTS as 2 and EXPORTS as 1.
Because the rest of the raw data are classified in a way that 1 is responsible for exports and number 2 for imports. But the new raw data classification is the other way around. So I have to modify this one in order to match with the rest.

input str3 cod_fluxo
"1"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"2"
"1"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"2"
"1"
"1"
"1
"1"
"2"
"1"
"1"
"2"
"2"
"1"
"2"
"1"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"2"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"2"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"1"
"2"
end

Any ideas appreciated.

Cheers,

Paris

[Ken Chui]

I think it's somewhat dangerous to flip the coding this way between 1 and 2 under a very generic name. I'd suggest the more typical 1 and 0, where 1 indicates a "yes" and 0 indicates a "no". And give these yes/no a context through the variable name.

E.g.

clear
input str3 cod_fluxo
"1"
"2"
""
end

gen import = (cod_fluxo == "1") if !missing(cod_fluxo)
gen export = (cod_fluxo == "2") if !missing(cod_fluxo)

* Optionally, also add label scheme
label define l_im 1 "Import" 0 "Export"
label define l_ex 0 "Import" 1 "Export"
label values import l_im
label values export l_ex

If you create this export/import indicator for every data set, then no matter how yo append them, they will still make sense.

[Paris Rira]

Dear ken,
Thank you so much for getting back to me.
You are right. It worked perfectly.

[Nick Cox]

I agree with @Ken Chui: There are many advantages in coding a binary (*) variable as 0 and 1 and no real disadvantages.

For a survey see https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf...36867X19830921

(*) attribute, Boolean, dichotomous, dummy, indicator, logical, quantal