st: Why do `test' and a`test' make a difference?

[Dirk Enzmann <dirk.enzmann@uni-hamburg.de>]

Why does the backslash as part of the global macro $path vanish (and 
`test' is not evaluated as a local macro) when immediately combined with 
the local macro `test', although it does not vanish (and the content of 
`test' is displayed) when not immediately combined as shown in the two 
variants of -di- in the example below?

* --- Stata example start: -----------

global path = "d:\my folder\"
local test = "pre_"
di "${path}`test'my name.dta"
di "${path}a`test'my name.dta"

* --- End Stata example. ------------

Dirk

========================================
Dr. Dirk Enzmann
Institute of Criminal Sciences
Dept. of Criminology
Rothenbaumchaussee 33
D-20148 Hamburg
Germany

phone: +49-(0)40-42838.7498 (office)
       +49-(0)40-42838.4591 (Mrs Billon)
fax:   +49-(0)40-42838.2344
email: dirk.enzmann@uni-hamburg.de
http://www2.jura.uni-hamburg.de/instkrim/kriminologie/Mitarbeiter/Enzmann/Enzmann.html
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