st: Graphing Frustrations

[Benjamin Hulley <bhulley@ucsd.edu>]

Hello Statalisters!

I think I have an easy question for someone out there.  I have produced  
a data set by merging several databases and I would like to produce  
simple summary graphs of some of the variables.  However every time I  
try to produce a bar graph or histogram I get the following error:

. graph box drinkalc
invalid syntax
invalid syntax
invalid syntax
invalid syntax
invalid syntax
r(198);

this particular variable has the following attributes:

. desc drinkalc
              storage  display     value
variable name   type   format      label      variable label
------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
-------
drinkalc        byte   %8.0g       missingdata
                                              Ever drink alcohol

In trying to ferret out the solution I have produced bar graphs  
successfully from other data sets, including the precursors to the one  
I am currently using.  In fact, running - graph bar drinkalc - from its  
precursor produces the correct graph. I've been to the statalist  
archives and looked up the error code with no luck.  I think I'm  
missing something obvious, does anyone have a suggestion?

Thanks for any tips in advance,

Ben Hulley

UCSD Statin Study

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