Foreach Loop with if condition inside the brackets

[Maximilian Obermaier]

Hello everybody,

I have a problem and was not able to find a solution for this.

I want to do a loop including an if function looking like this:

foreach var of varlist BTMCH* {
xtile E`var' = `var' if SMVJ*==1, nq(5)

xtile E`var' = `var' if SMVJ*==2, nq(5)
xtile E`var' = `var' if SMVJ*==3, nq(5)
xtile E`var' = `var' if SMVJ*==4, nq(5)
xtile E`var' = `var' if SMVJ*==5, nq(5)
}


I have BTMCH2002 BTMCH2003,..., BTMCH2013 and also SMVJ2002,...,SMVJ2013

So I want to create new variables called EBTMCH* for BTMCH2002 if SMVJ2002 = 1, for SMVJ2002=2,... and then also for BTMCH2003 if SMVJ2003=1, for SMVJ2003=2,... until BTMCH2013 if SMVJ2013=1, for SMVJ2013=2,...

The error message is: SMVJ* is an invalid name. So the problem is how to define SMVJ* differently to be able to execute the program.

Can you help me with this please.

Thanks a lot for your help

Best Max

[Joe Canner]

Pete,

How about something like:

forvalues yr=2002/2013 {
xtile EBTMCH`yr' = BTMCH`yr' if SMVJ`yr'==1, nq(5)

etc...
}

Regards,
Joe

P.S. Please take note of the Statalist preference for using full names (see the FAQ for more details).

[Maximilian Obermaier]

Joe,
I will change my name.

Thanks a lot for your fast reply.

best Max