st: inexplicable foreach problem

["Jennifer S. Earl" <jearl@soc.ucsb.edu>]

I am hoping someone else can give me some perspective on this. I have a 
program in which I am using lots of foreach statements. For instance, here 
is one that works (statement first and then log):

Programming (pardon the wrapping text if you email program wraps the line):

foreach i in 2005/2010 {
	replace mod1_err013=eventid if population_`i'==. & sample_rate_`i'!=.
	replace mod1_err013=eventid if population_`i'!=. & sample_rate_`i'==.
	replace mod1_err013=eventid if population_`i'==. & man_weight_`i'!=.
	replace mod1_err013=eventid if population_`i'!=. & man_weight_`i'==.
	replace mod1_err013=eventid if sample_rate_`i'==. & man_weight_`i'!=.
	replace mod1_err013=eventid if sample_rate_`i'!=. & man_weight_`i'==.
}

Successful log entry:
. foreach i in 2005/2010 {
 2.         replace mod1_err013=eventid if population_`i'==. & 
sample_rate_`i'
> !=.
 3.         replace mod1_err013=eventid if population_`i'!=. & 
sample_rate_`i'
> ==.
 4.         replace mod1_err013=eventid if population_`i'==. & 
man_weight_`i'!
> =.
 5.         replace mod1_err013=eventid if population_`i'!=. & 
man_weight_`i'=
> =.
 6.         replace mod1_err013=eventid if sample_rate_`i'==. & 
man_weight_`i'
> !=.
 7.         replace mod1_err013=eventid if sample_rate_`i'!=. & 
man_weight_`i'
> ==.
 8. }
(0 real changes made)
(0 real changes made)
(0 real changes made)
(2 real changes made)
(0 real changes made)
(0 real changes made)


But, when I try to execute exactly the same foreach line after that, the 
program doesn't try to iterate between 2005-2010;

Unsuccessful programming:

foreach i in 2005/2010 {
	gen plus3000_`i'=0
	replace plus3000_`i'=1 if sample_rate_`i'==98
	replace plus3000_`i'=2 if sample_rate_`i'==99
}

Here's what the trace shows is happening when it breaks (which reveals the 
new variable is being named plus3000_2005/2010 instead of plus3000_2005):

. foreach i in 2005/2010 {
 2.
. gen plus3000_`i'=0
 3.
. replace plus3000_`i'=1 if sample_rate_`i'==98
 4.
. replace plus3000_`i'=2 if sample_rate_`i'==99
 5.
. }
- foreach i in 2005/2010 {
- gen plus3000_`i'=0
= gen plus3000_2005/2010=0
/ invalid name
 replace plus3000_`i'=1 if sample_rate_`i'==98
 replace plus3000_`i'=2 if sample_rate_`i'==99
 }
r(198);

I know its not a typo because I have copied and replaced the foreach line 
from the good programming about 10 times to the same result. The only thing 
in between the foreach loops that work and those that don't are some 
comments and some egen statements.

Any ideas on this one-- its a total mystery to me!

Thanks,

Jenn

*********************************
Jennifer Earl
Professor of Sociology
SS&MS 3129
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA  93106-9430

P: (805) 893-7471
F: (805) 893-3324
http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/faculty/earl/
*********************************
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