Re: st: RE: problem converting a string variable to a numeric variable

[Gwinyai Masukume <parturitions@gmail.com>]

Thanks Elan.
Kind regards,
Gwinyai

On 4/25/13, Cohen, Elan <cohened@upmc.edu> wrote:
> -encode- is the wrong command for this job.  (Read the help file more
> closely to understand why.)
>
> Try -destring-.
>
> - Elan
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-statalist@hsphsun2.harvard.edu
> [mailto:owner-statalist@hsphsun2.harvard.edu] On Behalf Of Gwinyai Masukume
> Sent: Thursday, April 25, 2013 13:18
> To: statalist
> Subject: st: problem converting a string variable to a numeric variable
>
> Dear Stata listers,
>
> I have a variable weight. The original dataset has weight as a string
> variable. Type - str13
> Format - %13s.
>
> encode weight, generate(weightgrams)
>
> The above code apparently creates a numeric variable weightgrams.
> Type - long
> Format - %13.0g
>
> However when dealing with this new variable e.g summ weightgrams, I get
> completely abnormal results which bear no resemblance to the expected
> results for the variable weight.
>
> I suspect there is some kind of error in conversion from a string to
> numeric variable.
>
> I am using version 12.1
>
> Kind regards,
> Gwinyai
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