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help for ^varset^
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Associate variable name with keyword
------------------------------------

	^varset^ [keyword [varname]] [^,^  ^clear^ ]


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

^varset^ associates a variable with a keyword so that the variable can be
used by a family of commands without being specified each time a command
is issued. 

Some families of commands (e.g., ^svy^ and ^xt^) require that an option specify
a variable name to identify a particular variable, e.g., a group identifier.
^varset^ can be used to specify this variable at the outset.

Associations made by ^varset^ are saved with a dataset; if a dataset is saved
after a keyword is set, it does not have to be set again.

^varset^ can be used in the following ways:

 . ^varset keyword varname^	[associates keyword <--> varname]

 . ^varset keyword^		[displays varname associated with keyword]
 . ^varset^			[displays all keyword associations]

 . ^varset keyword, clear^	[clears keyword association]
 . ^varset, clear^		[clears all keyword associations]

Note:  Using the option on a command corresponding to a keyword also sets the
keyword association; see example below.  

Command families for ^varset^:

    Command
    Family    Keyword     Sets                  Description
    -------   -------   --------     -----------------------------------
    ^svy^       ^strata^    ^strata()^     strata variable
              ^psu^       ^psu()^        PSU (primary sampling unit) variable   
              ^fpc^       ^fpc()^        finite population correction variable
              ^pweight^   ^[pweight= ]^  sampling weight variable

    ^xt^        ^iis^       ^i()^          unit ID variable
              ^tis^       ^t()^          time variable

See help @svy@ and @xt@ for more information.


Options
-------

^clear^ clears the association for a specified keyword if a keyword is given.
    If no keyword is specified, it clears all keywords.  After using this
    option, it will be as if the keyword(s) were never set.  


Examples
--------

^svymean^ allows for the specification of a stratum identifier variable.
This can be done using ^varset^:

 . ^varset strata region^

The variable ^region^ is now associated with the keyword ^strata^, and the
^strata()^ option does not have to be specified when the ^svymean^ command
is issued:

 . ^svymean income age educ^

Alternatively, the ^strata()^ option could have been used when issuing the
^svymean^ command:

 . ^svymean income age educ, strata(region)^

Giving the above command also associates ^region^ with the ^strata^ keyword;
the association is exactly the same as having typed ^varset strata region^. 
In subsequent use of any of the ^svy^ commands, ^region^ will be taken to be
the ^strata^ variable.

To change the keyword association, simply reset it:

 . ^varset strata stratnum^

To display the name of the variable associated with ^strata^:

 . ^varset strata^

To display all keyword associations:

 . ^varset^

To clear the keyword association:

 . ^varset strata, clear^

To clear all keyword associations:

 . ^varset, clear^

More examples of setting keyword associations:

 . ^varset psu clustid^
 . ^varset fpc Nh^
 . ^varset pweight finalwgt^
 . ^varset iis id^
 . ^varset tis time^


Also see
--------

 Manual:  [5s] xt
On-line:  help for @svy@, @xt@