st: New versions of -factext- and -ingap- on SSC

[Roger Newson <roger.newson@kcl.ac.uk>]

Dear All

Thanks to Kit Baum, there are now new versions of the -factext- and -ingap- 
packages vailable for download on SSC. In Stata, type -ssc desc factext- or 
-ssc desc ingap- to find out more. The -factext- and -ingap- packages are 
described as below on my website, and are discussed in Newson (2003).

The -factext- package re-creates and processes categorical factors 
(predictor variables as used by -xi-) in -parmest- output data sets. The 
new version fixes a bug in the -factmerg- program, which caused it to 
output missing values to the generated -fvalue()- variable if a categorical 
input factor had value labels for some values but not for others. 
-factmerg- now outputs labels if a label exists for the value and formatted 
values otherwise (like -sdecode-). Also, the -mname()- -mlabel()- and 
-mvalue()- options can now be string expressions, and do not have to be 
string variable names. In addition, I have updated the -help- files for 
-factext-, -factmerg- and -factref-.

The -ingap- package inserts gap observations at defined positions in a data 
set, containing missing values for existing variables unless the user 
specifies otherwise. The new version contains a new -grexpression()- 
option, specifying a string expression to evaluate the -rowlabel()- 
variable in the gap observations, and a new -neworder()- option, allowing 
the user to create a new variable containing, in each observation, the 
order of that observation in the data set (or by-group), once gap 
observations have been inserted. After execution of -ingap-, the data set 
in memory is sorted primarily by the by-variables (if specified), and 
secondarily by the -neworder()- variable (if specified).

Best wishes

Roger

References

Newson R. Confidence intervals and p-values for delivery to the end user. 
The Stata Journal 2003; 3(3): 245-269.


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package factext from http://www.kcl-phs.org.uk/rogernewson/stata7
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TITLE
      factext: Extract factor values from a label variable created by parmest

DESCRIPTION/AUTHOR(S)
      The factext package contains three programs, factext, factmerg and 
factref.
      factext is used to extract factors (categorical variables) from a
      label variable in an output data set created by the parmest package.
      factmerg inputs a list of factors and outputs up to 3 string variables,
      containing, in each observation, the name, variable label and value 
of the
      first factor in the list with a nonmissing value in that observation.
      factref is used to add observations with reference levels for these
      factors, so that the user can include these in plots and/or tables.
      The parmest package creates a data set with 1 obs per estimated 
parameter
      and data on the parameter estimates, confidence limits, P-values, and
      (optionally) also a variable named label, containing the variable 
label for
      the X-variable corresponding to the parameter. If the X-variable is 
a dummy
      variable created by xi, tabulate or John Hendrickx's desmat package, 
then the
      value of label will be of the form "varname==value", where varname is a
      variable name and value is a numeric or string  value. factext uses this
      information to create new factors (categorical variables) with the 
specified
      varnames and values. These new variables can then be used to produce 
tables
      and/or plots. factext can be used together with the descsave 
package, also
      downloadable from SSC or from this website.

      Author: Roger Newson
      Distribution-Date: 24february2004
      Stata-Version: 7

INSTALLATION FILES                                  (click here to install)
      factext.ado
      factext.hlp
      factref.ado
      factref.hlp
      factmerg.ado
      factmerg.hlp
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(click here to return to the previous screen)


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package ingap from http://www.kcl-phs.org.uk/rogernewson/stata7
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TITLE
      ingap: Insert gap observations in a data set

DESCRIPTION/AUTHOR(S)
      ingap inserts gap observations into a list of positions in an 
existing data
      set. All existing variables in the data set will have missing values 
in the
      gap observations, unless the user specifies otherwise.  Often, the user
      specifies non-missing values in the gap observations for one particular
      existing string variable, known as the row label variable. This row 
label
      variable may then be output with a list of other variables to form a
      publication-ready table with labelled gap rows, using the listtex 
package.
      Alternatively, the row label variable may be encoded, using the sencode
      package, to form a numeric variable with value labels. This numeric 
variable
      can then be plotted on one axis of a graph to define axis labels, 
including
      gap axis labels.  The sencode and listtex packages are downloadable 
from SSC
      or from this website.

      Author: Roger Newson
      Distribution-Date: 24february2004
      Stata-Version: 7

INSTALLATION FILES                                  (click here to install)
      ingap.ado
      ingap.hlp
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(click here to return to the previous screen)

--
Roger Newson
Lecturer in Medical Statistics
Department of Public Health Sciences
King's College London
5th Floor, Capital House
42 Weston Street
London SE1 3QD
United Kingdom

Tel: 020 7848 6648 International +44 20 7848 6648
Fax: 020 7848 6620 International +44 20 7848 6620
  or 020 7848 6605 International +44 20 7848 6605
Email: roger.newson@kcl.ac.uk
Website: http://www.kcl-phs.org.uk/rogernewson

Opinions expressed are those of the author, not the institution.

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