i have a var like this:
monopolar
nodiathrm
diathermy[2]
diathermy[2]
what i want to achieve is for every first encountered diathermy[2]
to be changed to diathermy[1], while leaving the second occurence
as diathermy[2].
*********************
If this is your exact question, then it can be done this way:
replace myvar="diathermy[1]" if myvar==`"diathermy[2]"' & myvar[_n+1]==`"diathermy[2]"'
For a more generic question, any string content of the form "string[num]" can
be made to change the num of the first instance to num-1. This is a recycled
code from anther program.
If you have triplicates (or more), i.e. diathermy[2] three times, then run the
whole thing that many times and the number shoud be consequtively less in the
reverse order.
forval num=1/`=_N' {
* clear locals
local temp1=.
local count1=""
local temp2=.
local count2=""
local first=myvar[`num']
local open=index("`first'","[")
local close=index("`first'","]")
if `open'~=0 & `close'~=0 {
local count1=trim(substr("`first'",`open'+1,`close'-`open'-1))
local temp1=trim(substr("`first'",1,`open'-1))
}
local second=myvar[`num'+1]
local open=index("`second'","[")
local close=index("`second'","]")
if `open'~=0 & `close'~=0 {
local count2=trim(substr("`second'",`open'+1,`close'-`open'-1))
local temp2=trim(substr("`second'",1,`open'-1))
}
di "`num' : `first' `second' `count1' `count2'"
capture confirm number `count1'
if _rc==0 {
capture confirm number `count2 '
if _rc==0 {
replace myvar=`"`temp1'[`=`count1'-1']"' if "`temp1'"=="`temp2'" & `count1'==`count2' in `num'
}
}
}
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