Re: st: reshape long does not recognize negative date values

[jean ries <ries@ires.ucl.ac.be>]

I think that variable names like p-1 , p-2 , ... are illegal in Stata. When 
doing an -insheet- , Stata ignores these names and labels these columns v1 
, v2 , ... You could rename the variables such that the first quarter 
becomes p0, the second quarter becomes p1 etc. If the first quarter is e.g. 
1959q3, then you could do the following:

. insheet using qp.csv
. reshape long p,  i(permno) j(qtime)
. replace qtime = qtime - 2
. format qtime %tq

best wishes,

jean

At 22:51 14/09/2004, you wrote:

> Hello,
> I have a comma seperated (csv) file with quarterly data on variable p. The 
> column headings are of the form  p0, p1, etc for 1960q1, 1960q2. For 
> periods prior to 1960 I labelled the columns p-1, p-2, etc for 1959q4, 1959q3.
> I use the command :
>
>    insheet using qp.csv
>
> to input the data into Stata.
>
> Then I  do the following:
>    reshape long p,  i(permno) j(qtime)
>    format qtime %tq
>
> Stata then creates variable v1, v2, v3, .... for all of the dates prior to 
> 1960q1.
>
> How should I specify the dates in the csv file so that Stata picks them up 
> correctly?
>
> Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
*
*   For searches and help try:
*   http://www.stata.com/support/faqs/res/findit.html
*   http://www.stata.com/support/statalist/faq
*   http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/stata/