st: dropping matrix columns

[altruist81@gmx.de]

 Dear Stata Users,

I am using a loop in which many large matrices are created. I want to use (each of) these matrices to create a single new dataset using the -svmat- command. For each of the matrices many of the column names start with a number AND are the columns empty. Since variable names that start with a number are not allowed -svmat- does not work, i.e. I first need to either change get rid of the first numbers in the column names or delete these columns ( I dont need them).
How can I tell stata to drop all matrix columns for which the name starts with a number OR tell stata to drop all columns in a matrix that are entirely empty?

Many thanks

Darjusch

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