Thank you Maarten,
this is exactly the point: does the end-of-the-line as it is
understood by #delimit agree with the end of the line as it is
understood by comments?
I have 2 possible interpretations of "line".
1. Line in the text file (as it is understood by a text editor,
showing current line number and cursor position in the line)
2. Line of code (which can occupy more than one text-line if the
delimiter is set to ";")
Here are my doubts:
A. If the manual really means "line" as defined by 1, than the
following code must yell "Hello one" and "Hello two", but it does not:
#delimit ;
*include "something"
// comment
di "Hello one";
di "Hello two";
// end of file
I think it must yell two times, because the commands are unaffected by
commentaries in the other text lines if definition 1 is true.
B. If the manual really means "line" as defined by 2, than the
following code must yell only "Hello two", but it does not:
#delimit ;
// comment
di "Hello one";
di "Hello two";
// end of file
I think it must yell only once, since everything from "//" till ";"
must be a comment, and only di "Hello two"; must be executed.
It seems that "*" and "//" are somehow different. I have an external
program, that modifies .ado files to it's needs, and it get's confused
in these situations. So any advice would be very welcomed.
I am also experiencing difficulties with understanding priorities
among the commentaries.
Consider the following code:
#delimit ;
/*;
/*;
*/;
di "test";
*/;
di "test2";
// end of file
If we run this code, only "test2" is output, because /* */ comments
may be "shelled", so that if the comment is opened several times with
"/*" Stata will require exactly as many "*/" to cancel the comment.
It seems that "//" has priority and cancels "/*" and "*/":
#delimit ;
// /*;
/*;
*/;
di "test";
// */;
di "test2";
// end of file
(both "test" and "test2" are written).
However, not always???
#delimit ;
// /*;
/*;
// */;
di "test";
// */;
di "test2";
// end of file
(If the above logic is true, than the comment is open in line 3 spans
until the end of the file)
In general, has anybody done parsing of a Stata .do / .ado file and
could share a boolean function (in any language), which can answer
whether a symbol (i,j) in the file is a part of a comment or not? (i -
is the line number, j - position in line). If this is at all possible?
Thank you, Sergiy Radyakin
PS: I am working with Stata for Windows 9.2 if the version matters.
On 5/1/08, Maarten buis <[email protected]> wrote:
> --- Sergiy Radyakin <[email protected]> wrote:
> > I have a question regarding the use of comments in Stata programs.
> >
> > The two possibilities to comment out a line of code are to put a "*"
> > or "//" in the beginning of a line.
> >
> > The manual (e.g. online here: http://www.stata.com/help.cgi?comments)
> > says:
> >
> > " * indicates that the line is to be ignored."
> > and
> > "// indicates that the rest of the line is to be ignored."
> >
> > Both definitions are using the concept of a "line". I would like to
> > double-check, what is really meant by "line" in this context?
>
> that is determined by the -#delimit- command, see: -help #delimit-, but
> by default a line ends with a carriage return.
>
> Hope this helps,
> Maarten
>
> -----------------------------------------
> Maarten L. Buis
> Department of Social Research Methodology
> Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
> Boelelaan 1081
> 1081 HV Amsterdam
> The Netherlands
>
> visiting address:
> Buitenveldertselaan 3 (Metropolitan), room Z434
>
> +31 20 5986715
>
> http://home.fsw.vu.nl/m.buis/
> -----------------------------------------
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