Re: st: RE: Irritating if...else question for mata vs. stata

[Thomas Jacobs <thomasjacobs@gmail.com>]

Nick,

Thanks very much, you basically carried out the experiment Martin had
directed me to.

I am pretty much grasping at straws at this point on this overly
lengthy and convoluted program for which I lack the time to rewrite
before my delivery deadline.

Thanks again,

Tom

On Sun, Jun 6, 2010 at 1:27 PM, Nick Cox <n.j.cox@durham.ac.uk> wrote:
> You need not apologise that (you think) your question is irritating.
>
> No -else- is needed in Mata with multiple blocks.
>
> Here's a dopey demo to run.
>
> mata :
>
> void testif() {
>        if (42 > 0) {
>                "42 is positive"
>                "Scotland is wet"
>                "Bears don't behave nicely in the woods"
>        }
> }
>
> testif()
>
> end
>
> Nick
> n.j.cox@durham.ac.uk
>
> Thomas Jacobs
>
> I am trying to determine whether an if block is acceptable in mata
> without an else block even if else is empty.
>
> In the Stata manual for if it specifically shows the following - I am
> ignoring the single line if statement command:
>
> if exp {
>
>  multiple commands
>
> }
>
> which...MAY be followed by else etc.
>
> However in the mata manual only the single line line if(exp) sttmnt 1
> is displayed.  All the other examples have a trailing else whether  in
> block or single line form.  In the description, however, it states "if
> evaluates the expression, and if it is true, if executes the statement
> or statement block that immediately follows it; otherwise, if skips
> the statement or block."
>
> I interpret the latter description to be that one can use the if block
> without a trailing else.
>
> The lack of precision is frustrating, however, and I am struggling to
> interpret odd program behavior.  Can anyone definitively state whether
> the following is proper programming form for mata:
>
> if (exp) {
>
> multiple statements
>
> }
>
> with no trailing empty
>
> else{
> }
>
> ?  Thanks.
>
>
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>



-- 
Thomas Jacobs

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