st_local does not work inside a function

[Niels Henrik Bruun]

Hi
It seems like st_local does not work inside a function as the example below shows:

. mata:
:         mata clear
:         txt = "st_local works outside"
:         st_local("local_outside", txt)
:         
:         function test(txt)
>         {
>                 txt = "st_local do not work inside"
>                 st_local("local_inside", txt)
>         }
:         st_dir("local", "macro", "*")
  local_outside
: end
. display "`local_outside'|`local_inside'"
st_local works outside|

Or am I missing something? (Seen before)

[daniel klein]

Well, I guess you need to call your function test at least once. What you show here merely defines the function.

. mata:
------------------------------------------------- mata (type end to exit) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: mata clear         

: txt = "st_local works outside"

: st_local("local_outside", txt)

: function test(txt)
> {
> txt = "st_local do not work inside"
> st_local("local_inside", txt)
> }

: st_dir("local", "macro", "*")
  local_outside

: 
: test(.)

: end
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. display "`local_outside'|`local_inside'"
st_local works outside|st_local do not work inside

Best
Daniel

[Niels Henrik Bruun]

Hi Daniel
Ah, I should of course call the function
And your code runs fine by me as well.
I was trying to make a simple example, not very successfully though.

But I still have the problem, and to be more specific it occurs when the value is passed as an argument:

. mata:
:         mata clear
:         txt = "st_local works outside"
:         st_local("local_outside", txt)
:         
:         function test(string scalar txt)
>         {
>                 st_global("local_inside", txt)
>         }
: 
:         test("st_local do not work inside")
:         st_dir("local", "macro", "*")
  local_outside
: end
. display "`local_outside'|`local_inside'"
st_local works outside|

[daniel klein]

Now you are using st_global() inside the Mata function but referencing a local in Stata ...

[Niels Henrik Bruun]

Hi Daniel
Sorry for taking your time.
Now it works with st_local.

I can't explain what happened here.
Luckily it will be weekend soon.

Thank you very much for your help.
And have a nice weekend.

[daniel klein]

No need for apologies, I can relate. Do not forget to insert a comment in the code, reminding you to check the parts your are writing now again later, when you are refreshed and concentrated.

[Niels Henrik Bruun]

will do