*! conv2num--convert string var to numeric var                   (STB-29: dm40)
*! Robert M. Farmer
program define conv2num
	version 3.1
	local varlist = "req ex min(1) max(1)"
	local options = "noCompress Generate(str) Label(str)"
	parse"`*'"
	local s "`varlist'"
	conf str var `s'
	local n "`generat'"
	if "`n'"=="" { local n "`s'" }
	conf new var x
	if "`label'"=="" { local label : var l `s' }
	local squash = "`compress'"==""
	tempvar arg1 arg2 arg3
	quietly {
		gen double `arg1' = real(`s')
		gen int `arg2' = 1 if `arg1' == .
		sum `arg2'
		if _result(1) ~= 0 {
			gen int `arg3' = index("1234567890.",substr(`s',`arg2',1)) > 0
			while _result(1) ~= 0 {
				replace `arg3' = `arg2' if index("1234567890.",substr(`s',`arg2',1)) > 0 & `arg3' > 0 & `arg2' ~= .
				replace `arg2' = . if `arg2' > `arg3'
				replace `arg2' = `arg2' + 1
				replace `arg2' = . if length(`s') < `arg2'
				sum `arg2'
			}
			replace `arg3' = . if `arg1' ~= . | `arg3' == 0
			replace `arg1' = real(substr(`s',1,`arg3')) if `arg3' ~= .
		}
		if "`n'"=="`s'" { drop `s' }
		rename `arg1' `n'
		lab var `n' "`label'"
		if `squash' { compress `n' }
	}
end