Simple multiple variable replace

0
votes

I want a simple way to replace the values of several variables (let's say varlist A) conditional on the values of other variables. In my case to every name of each variable in A there corresponds a modified name in B as folllows:

A (var1 var2 var3 ...)

B (_var1 _var2 _var3 ...)

So I would like to replace the value of var1 by that of _var1 if var1 is missing

1
databasecommandstata

1 Answers

2
votes

Various ways; here is one. 

  forval j = 1/3 { 
        replace var`j' = _var`j' if missing(var`j') 
  }

For a tutorial on such loops, see http://www.stata-journal.com/sjpdf.html?articlenum=pr0005

(LATER) "My real problem is different...."

 foreach v in p503 p605 p201c {
     replace `v' = _`v' if missing(`v') 
 }

If you read the article I suggested you will learn that forval and foreach can take loops over various kinds of list.