Your correction looks correct.
Another way to do it is by allowing a set of options
-- say -period1()- to -period9()- -- as many as you might
need.
You could then be more indulgent. The syntax could then be
(e.g.)
period1(x2 1980(1)2000) period2(x3 1998 1990)
forval i = 1/9 {
if "`period`i''" != "" {
gettoken var spec : period`i'
capture confirm var `var'
if _rc {
di as err "`var' not a variable in period`i'()"
exit <suitable error code>
}
numlist "`spec'"
local spec "`r(numlist)'"
// put `var' and `spec' somewhere for later use
}
}
Nick
[email protected]
Tom Boonen
> I really like your idea of using periods(str) and a synatx like
>
> periods(x2=1980(1)2000 x3=1998&1990)
>
> while imposing some discipline on the user by insisting that spaces
> are used to separate specifications for each variable. I walked
> through your program sketch and it looks exactly like what I need.
> Some of the string functions are new to me and they look very helpful.
> Thanks a lot.
>
> Tom
>
> PS: just on tiny correction I think numlist `spec' needs to be numlist
> "`spec'" for spec to be transformed into a numlist.
>
>
>
>
>
> From "Nick Cox" <[email protected]>
> To <[email protected]>
> Subject st: RE: parsing question
> Date Fri, 9 Mar 2007 10:19:56 -0000
>
> I wouldn't do it like that. I would have an option
>
> periods(str)
>
> and set up a little language, say
>
> periods(x2=1980(1)2000 x3=1998&1990)
>
> Then you parse the argument of -periods()-
> ad hoc, within your program, downstream of -syntax-.
>
> There is a trade-off between being restrictive
> over the details of the little language (making
> life easier for the programmer) and being relaxed
> (making life easier for the user).
>
> For example, you could insist that spaces are
> used to separate specifications for each variable,
> and only for that purpose. That would mean that
> you would need syntax for your second example,
> say using "&" as above.
>
> So, a sketch could be
>
> if "`periods'" != "" {
> foreach p of local periods {
> local whereeq = strpos("`p'", "=")
> if `whereq' == 0 {
> di as err "invalid syntax in periods()"
> exit 198
> }
> else {
> local var = substr("`p'",1,`whereq'-1)
> capture confirm var `var'
> if _rc {
> di as err "`var' not a variable
> in periods()"
> exit <suitable error code>
> }
> local spec = substr("`p'",`whereq'+1,.)
> local spec : subinstr local spec "&" " ", all
> numlist `spec'
> local spec "`r(numlist)'"
> // put `var' and `spec' somewhere for later use
> }
> }
> }
>
> Nick
> [email protected]
>
> Tom Boonen
>
> > I am fairly new to Stata programming and have a question
> regarding the
> > best way to use the syntax command to parse user input into
> macros so
> > I can work with them in my program.
> >
> > In my estimation command, the user enters a response variable Y and
> > several predictor variables X1 X2 X3.
> >
> > so this is easy to parse using
> >
> > syntax varlist
> > gettoken depvar varlist: varlist
> > ...
> >
> > So the user would code:
> >
> > command Y X1 X2 X3
> >
> > Now, I also would like to give the user the possibility to
> specify for
> > each predictor a numlist of periods over which the
> predictor shall be
> > used in the estimation (this is kind of unusual, but makes
> sense in my
> > particular estimation). So the user would code something like:
> >
> > command Y X1 X2(1980(1)2000) X3(1998 1990)
> >
> > which would mean that X1 would be used for all years. X2
> would be used
> > for years 1980,1981,...,2000 and X3 would be used for years 1998 and
> > 1990 only. I wonder what would be the best way to parse this. I was
> > thinking:
> >
> > syntax anything
> >
> > then
> > gettoken depvar varlist: varlist
> >
> > then i would need to loop through each element of varlist, look for
> > the first "(" , obtain the numbers after the "(", look for the next
> > ")", store the number in front of it. etc etc etc.
> >
> > this seems a bit tedious and error prone (the user may put an extra
> > blank or number here and there). i wonder whether there is
> any better
> > way to parse this?
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