.-
help for ^for3^							(ip8.1: STB-30)
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Repeat command with specified sets of arguments
-----------------------------------------------

    ^for3^ list1 [\list2 [\list3...]] [^,^ ^l^type^(^typelist^)^ ^noh^eader ^nos^top ^p^ause ]^:^
	stata_cmd


Description
-----------

^for3^ repeats stata_cmd substituting for ^@@^ in stata_cmd each member of list1,
substituting for ^@@@@^ each member of list2 (if given), and so on.


Options
-------

^ltype(^typelist^)^ determines the types of list1, list2, ... .  Items in typelist
    correspond to list1, list2, ... respectively. Valid list types are ^n^umeric,
    ^a^ny and ^v^arlist, with the following meanings:

    ^numeric^ specifies that the corresponding list is to consist only of non-
    negative integers. Such a list may contain range abbreviations (^-^) and
    increment indicators (^/^).  For instance, ^2-6/2^ is expanded by ^for3^ to
    ^2 4 6^.

    ^any^ specifies that the corresponding list is to be given no special inter-
    pretation.  Note that if the list contains embedded space(s), the latter
    must be entered as #'s in order to avoid confusing Stata's parser.  For
    example, ^if#x==1^ will be translated to ^if x==1^ when stata_cmd is executed.

    ^varlist^ specifies that the corresponding list is interpreted as a varlist
    ---all the variables must exist and standard Stata varlist syntax, such as
    ^sx*^ to mean all variables that start with ^sx^, is allowed.

    If you omit ^ltype()^ altogether, or specify fewer types than lists, any
    types not specified are taken as ^v^arlist by default.

^noheader^ specifies that the substituted Stata command is not to be shown before
    execution.  If ^noheader^ is not specified, the substituted command is shown.

^nostop^ specifies that the command is to continue to be repeated with the sub-
    sequent elements of list1 (list2, etc) even if one of the replications
    results in an error (nonzero return code).

^pause^ pauses output after each execution of stata_cmd. This may be useful with
    Stata for Windows when stata_cmd produces more than one graph.  Stata tends
    to write each graph on top of the previous without pausing, allowing you to
    see only the last one.  Use of ^pause^ will overcome the problem.


Remark
------

You may occasionally wish to include a comma or a colon in a list of type ^any^.
To avoid being mistaken for part of the syntax of the ^for3^ command itself,
these characters must be repeated (e.g. ^::^ will be translated to ^:^).


Examples
--------

Use of ^for3^ identical to ^for2^:

	. ^for3 q16-q25: replace @@=@@+1^
	. ^for3 q16-q25, noheader: replace @@=@@+1^

Functionality identical to ^for2^, slightly different syntax:

	. ^for3 u1 u2 u3, ltype(any): gen @@=uniform()^
	. ^for3 -9 -99, ltype(any): mvdecode var*, mv(@@)^
	. ^for3 3-18/3, ltype(numeric): gen group@@ = group+@@^

New functionality not available with ^for2^:

	. ^for3 12.3 4.4 2.8\a b c, ltype(any varlist): ttest @@@@=@@^
	. ^for3 12.3 4.4 2.8\a b c, ltype(a): ttest @@@@=@@^            [same]
	. ^for3 ch1-ch3\cga cgb cgd: ttest @@=@@@@^
	. ^for3 ch*\cg*: ttest @@=@@@@^


Author
------

        Patrick Royston
        Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London
        FAX:  (011)-44-181-259-8573


Also see
--------

    STB:  ip8.1 STB-30; ip8 STB-26
 Manual:  [5u] for
On-line:  help for @quietly@