Error when using local and stack

[Dastan Aseinov]

Hello Stata users. I would appreciate any help. I get error "(memory cleared) invalid syntax r(198); end of do-file r(198) when run this syntax:

use "H:\My Drive\research\climate\HH_data_KZ.dta", clear

local all *
local omit q23a1_2023 q23a1_2022 q23a1_2021 q23a1_2020 q23a1_2019 q23a1_2018 q23a1_2017 q23a1_2016 q23a1_2015 q23a1_2014 q23a1_2013 q23a2_2023 q23a2_2022 q23a2_2021 q23a2_2020 q23a2_2019 q23a2_2018 q23a2_2017 q23a2_2016 q23a2_2015 q23a2_2014 q23a2_2013 q23a3_2023 q23a3_2022 q23a3_2021 q23a3_2020 q23a3_2019 q23a3_2018 q23a3_2017 q23a3_2016 q23a3_2015 q23a3_2014 q23a3_2013 q23a4_2023 q23a4_2022 q23a4_2021 q23a4_2020 q23a4_2019 q23a4_2018 q23a4_2017 q23a4_2016 q23a4_2015 q23a4_2014 q23a4_2013 q23a5_2023 q23a5_2022 q23a5_2021 q23a5_2020 q23a5_2019 q23a5_2018 q23a5_2017 q23a5_2016 q23a5_2015 q23a5_2014 q23a5_2013 q23a6_2023 q23a6_2022 q23a6_2021 q23a6_2020 q23a6_2019 q23a6_2018 q23a6_2017 q23a6_2016 q23a6_2015 q23a6_2014 q23a6_2013 q23a7_2023 q23a7_2022 q23a7_2021 q23a7_2020 q23a7_2019 q23a7_2018 q23a7_2017 q23a7_2016 q23a7_2015 q23a7_2014 q23a7_2013 q23a8_2023 q23a8_2022 q23a8_2021 q23a8_2020 q23a8_2019 q23a8_2018 q23a8_2017 q23a8_2016 q23a8_2015 q23a8_2014 q23a8_2013
local all : list all - omit
di "`all'"

stack `all' q23a1_2023 q23a1_2022 q23a1_2021 q23a1_2020 q23a1_2019 q23a1_2018 q23a1_2017 q23a1_2016 q23a1_2015 q23a1_2014 q23a1_2013 `all' q23a2_2023 q23a2_2022 q23a2_2021 q23a2_2020 q23a2_2019 q23a2_2018 q23a2_2017 q23a2_2016 q23a2_2015 q23a2_2014 q23a2_2013 `all' q23a3_2023 q23a3_2022 q23a3_2021 q23a3_2020 q23a3_2019 q23a3_2018 q23a3_2017 q23a3_2016 q23a3_2015 q23a3_2014 q23a3_2013 `all' q23a4_2023 q23a4_2022 q23a4_2021 q23a4_2020 q23a4_2019 q23a4_2018 q23a4_2017 q23a4_2016 q23a4_2015 q23a4_2014 q23a4_2013 `all' q23a5_2023 q23a5_2022 q23a5_2021 q23a5_2020 q23a5_2019 q23a5_2018 q23a5_2017 q23a5_2016 q23a5_2015 q23a5_2014 q23a5_2013 `all' q23a6_2023 q23a6_2022 q23a6_2021 q23a6_2020 q23a6_2019 q23a6_2018 q23a6_2017 q23a6_2016 q23a6_2015 q23a6_2014 q23a6_2013 `all' q23a7_2023 q23a7_2022 q23a7_2021 q23a7_2020 q23a7_2019 q23a7_2018 q23a7_2017 q23a7_2016 q23a7_2015 q23a7_2014 q23a7_2013 `all' q23a8_2023 q23a8_2022 q23a8_2021 q23a8_2020 q23a8_2019 q23a8_2018 q23a8_2017 q23a8_2016 q23a8_2015 q23a8_2014 q23a8_2013, into(`all' y2023 y2022 y2021 y2020 y2019 y2018 y2017 y2016 y2015 y2014 y2013) clear wide
rename _stack shock

Best Regards,
Dastan

[Nick Cox]

local all *

just copies the single character * to the local macro there named. It does not expand the * into a variable list. That is easily fixed

unab all : *

does what you want. See also https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf...867X1001000314

Note also that ds, not and (more flexibly) findname, not are serviceable here. findname is from the Stata Journal.

[Dastan Aseinov]

Hello Nick,

Thanks for your support. But this is not why the error occurs. Since before the firstly publish my post I also used

unab

This time I also tried your approach again. But the Stata still gives this error " (memory cleared) invalid syntax r(110); end of do-file r(110);"

When I run this

unab all : *
local omit q23a1_2023 q23a1_2022 q23a1_2021 q23a1_2020 q23a1_2019 q23a1_2018 q23a1_2017 q23a1_2016 q23a1_2015 q23a1_2014 q23a1_2013 q23a2_2023 q23a2_2022 q23a2_2021 q23a2_2020 q23a2_2019 q23a2_2018 q23a2_2017 q23a2_2016 q23a2_2015 q23a2_2014 q23a2_2013 q23a3_2023 q23a3_2022 q23a3_2021 q23a3_2020 q23a3_2019 q23a3_2018 q23a3_2017 q23a3_2016 q23a3_2015 q23a3_2014 q23a3_2013 q23a4_2023 q23a4_2022 q23a4_2021 q23a4_2020 q23a4_2019 q23a4_2018 q23a4_2017 q23a4_2016 q23a4_2015 q23a4_2014 q23a4_2013 q23a5_2023 q23a5_2022 q23a5_2021 q23a5_2020 q23a5_2019 q23a5_2018 q23a5_2017 q23a5_2016 q23a5_2015 q23a5_2014 q23a5_2013 q23a6_2023 q23a6_2022 q23a6_2021 q23a6_2020 q23a6_2019 q23a6_2018 q23a6_2017 q23a6_2016 q23a6_2015 q23a6_2014 q23a6_2013 q23a7_2023 q23a7_2022 q23a7_2021 q23a7_2020 q23a7_2019 q23a7_2018 q23a7_2017 q23a7_2016 q23a7_2015 q23a7_2014 q23a7_2013 q23a8_2023 q23a8_2022 q23a8_2021 q23a8_2020 q23a8_2019 q23a8_2018 q23a8_2017 q23a8_2016 q23a8_2015 q23a8_2014 q23a8_2013
local all : list all - omit
di "`all'"

Then run this as a second step separately:

stack `all' q23a1_2023 q23a1_2022 q23a1_2021 q23a1_2020 q23a1_2019 q23a1_2018 q23a1_2017 q23a1_2016 q23a1_2015 q23a1_2014 q23a1_2013 `all' q23a2_2023 q23a2_2022 q23a2_2021 q23a2_2020 q23a2_2019 q23a2_2018 q23a2_2017 q23a2_2016 q23a2_2015 q23a2_2014 q23a2_2013 `all' q23a3_2023 q23a3_2022 q23a3_2021 q23a3_2020 q23a3_2019 q23a3_2018 q23a3_2017 q23a3_2016 q23a3_2015 q23a3_2014 q23a3_2013 `all' q23a4_2023 q23a4_2022 q23a4_2021 q23a4_2020 q23a4_2019 q23a4_2018 q23a4_2017 q23a4_2016 q23a4_2015 q23a4_2014 q23a4_2013 `all' q23a5_2023 q23a5_2022 q23a5_2021  q23a5_2020 q23a5_2019 q23a5_2018 q23a5_2017 q23a5_2016 q23a5_2015 q23a5_2014 q23a5_2013 `all' q23a6_2023 q23a6_2022 q23a6_2021 q23a6_2020 q23a6_2019 q23a6_2018 q23a6_2017 q23a6_2016 q23a6_2015 q23a6_2014 q23a6_2013 `all' q23a7_2023 q23a7_2022 q23a7_2021 q23a7_2020 q23a7_2019 q23a7_2018 q23a7_2017 q23a7_2016 q23a7_2015 q23a7_2014 q23a7_2013 `all' q23a8_2023 q23a8_2022 q23a8_2021 q23a8_2020 q23a8_2019 q23a8_2018 q23a8_2017 q23a8_2016 q23a8_2015 q23a8_2014 q23a8_2013, into(`all' y2023 y2022 y2021 y2020 y2019 y2018 y2017 y2016 y2015 y2014 y2013) clear wide

Then the stat does not give an error. But the variables listed in local `all' are removed. That is, they are not stacked.

I would appreciate any help.

Best Regards,
Dastan

[Dastan Aseinov]

Hello Nick,

Thanks for your support. But this is not why the error occurs. Since before the firstly publish my post I also used

unab

This time I also tried your approach again. But the Stata still gives this error " (memory cleared) invalid syntax r(110); end of do-file r(110);"

When I run this

unab all : *
local omit q23a1_2023 q23a1_2022 q23a1_2021 q23a1_2020 q23a1_2019 q23a1_2018 q23a1_2017 q23a1_2016 q23a1_2015 q23a1_2014 q23a1_2013 q23a2_2023 q23a2_2022 q23a2_2021 q23a2_2020 q23a2_2019 q23a2_2018 q23a2_2017 q23a2_2016 q23a2_2015 q23a2_2014 q23a2_2013 q23a3_2023 q23a3_2022 q23a3_2021 q23a3_2020 q23a3_2019 q23a3_2018 q23a3_2017 q23a3_2016 q23a3_2015 q23a3_2014 q23a3_2013 q23a4_2023 q23a4_2022 q23a4_2021 q23a4_2020 q23a4_2019 q23a4_2018 q23a4_2017 q23a4_2016 q23a4_2015 q23a4_2014 q23a4_2013 q23a5_2023 q23a5_2022 q23a5_2021 q23a5_2020 q23a5_2019 q23a5_2018 q23a5_2017 q23a5_2016 q23a5_2015 q23a5_2014 q23a5_2013 q23a6_2023 q23a6_2022 q23a6_2021 q23a6_2020 q23a6_2019 q23a6_2018 q23a6_2017 q23a6_2016 q23a6_2015 q23a6_2014 q23a6_2013 q23a7_2023 q23a7_2022 q23a7_2021 q23a7_2020 q23a7_2019 q23a7_2018 q23a7_2017 q23a7_2016 q23a7_2015 q23a7_2014 q23a7_2013 q23a8_2023 q23a8_2022 q23a8_2021 q23a8_2020 q23a8_2019 q23a8_2018 q23a8_2017 q23a8_2016 q23a8_2015 q23a8_2014 q23a8_2013
local all : list all - omit
di "`all'"

Then run this as a second step separately:

stack `all' q23a1_2023 q23a1_2022 q23a1_2021 q23a1_2020 q23a1_2019 q23a1_2018 q23a1_2017 q23a1_2016 q23a1_2015 q23a1_2014 q23a1_2013 `all' q23a2_2023 q23a2_2022 q23a2_2021 q23a2_2020 q23a2_2019 q23a2_2018 q23a2_2017 q23a2_2016 q23a2_2015 q23a2_2014 q23a2_2013 `all' q23a3_2023 q23a3_2022 q23a3_2021 q23a3_2020 q23a3_2019 q23a3_2018 q23a3_2017 q23a3_2016 q23a3_2015 q23a3_2014 q23a3_2013 `all' q23a4_2023 q23a4_2022 q23a4_2021 q23a4_2020 q23a4_2019 q23a4_2018 q23a4_2017 q23a4_2016 q23a4_2015 q23a4_2014 q23a4_2013 `all' q23a5_2023 q23a5_2022 q23a5_2021 q23a5_2020 q23a5_2019 q23a5_2018 q23a5_2017 q23a5_2016 q23a5_2015 q23a5_2014 q23a5_2013 `all' q23a6_2023 q23a6_2022 q23a6_2021 q23a6_2020 q23a6_2019 q23a6_2018 q23a6_2017 q23a6_2016 q23a6_2015 q23a6_2014 q23a6_2013 `all' q23a7_2023 q23a7_2022 q23a7_2021 q23a7_2020 q23a7_2019 q23a7_2018 q23a7_2017 q23a7_2016 q23a7_2015 q23a7_2014 q23a7_2013 `all' q23a8_2023 q23a8_2022 q23a8_2021 q23a8_2020 q23a8_2019 q23a8_2018 q23a8_2017 q23a8_2016 q23a8_2015 q23a8_2014 q23a8_2013, into(`all' y2023 y2022 y2021 y2020 y2019 y2018 y2017 y2016 y2015 y2014 y2013) clear wide

Then the stat does not give an error. But the variables listed in local `all' are removed. That is, they are not stacked.

I would appreciate any help.

Best Regards,
Dastan

I have resolved the issue. Upon further investigation, I discovered that the data already contained a "_stack" variable, which was inadvertently included when I stacked other variables during the creation of the data file used in this project.
I appreciate your willingness to assist, and I apologize for any inconvenience caused. Your support is always valued, and I'll make sure to double-check thoroughly before seeking assistance next time.
Thank you for your understanding.
Best regards,
Dastan

[Nick Cox]

Thanks for the closure!