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help for ^conv2num^						(STB-29: dm40)
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Converting string variables to numeric variables
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	^conv2num^ strvar [^,^ ^noc^ompress ^g^enerate^(^numvar^)^ ^l^abel^(^str^)^ ]


Description
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^conv2num^ adds some convenience features to Stata's ^real()^ function, the
function that converts a string representation of a number to a numeric value.
^conv2num^ eliminates non-numeric suffixes, such as ^%^, that are added by
spreadsheets and other programs.  ^conv2num^ also compresses the result into the
smallest numeric data type that can hold the result. Completely non-numeric
values are converted to missing values.

If only ^strvar^ is specified, it is converted to a numeric variable in
place.  If ^numvar^ is specified, a new, numeric variable of that name
is generated and ^strvar^ is left as is.  By default, the new variable 
receives the variable label of the original string variable.  If ^label()^
is specified, it is used in place of the original variable label.

^conv2num^ uses ^real()^ to perform the conversions, hence, any precision
limitations of ^real()^ are also limitations of ^conv2num^.


Options
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^noc^ompress suppresses the compression of the numeric variable.

^g^enerate^(^numvar^)^ specifies the name of the numeric variable.  If this
    option is not specified, ^strvar^ is converted in place.

^l^abel^(^str^)^ specifies a new variable label for ^numvar^.  By default, the
    label of ^strvar^ is copied.


Example
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 . ^conv2num strvar, generate(numvar) label("Numeric variable")^


Author
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        Robert M. Farmer
        rfarmer@@aqaf.com


Also see
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    STB:  STB-29 dm40
 Manual:  [2] datatypes, [2] functions