randomtag - count() with variable or local

[louise nek]

Hello!

I want to use the command randomtag to get an exact number of obs for each treatment group.
However, I don't get the count() to work with variable or local: count(var1) or count(`local').

option count() invalid
r(198);

end of do-file

r(198);

I only get it to work with a number: count(#) where # is a typed in number.

Question: Is there a way to get count() to work with a variable or a local?

_______________________

Description:
I have 10 treatment groups, 12 strata, and over 20 000 obs. I want specific and uneven treatment group sizes. The relative treatment group sizes in shares are p1...p10.

First I calculate the number of obs for each treatment group in each strata.
(p1= size of each treatment group as share, N_strata=number of obs per strata.)

* Treatment size (#) for treatment group 1, in each strata (1-10):
gen s1 = floor(p1*N_strata) /* # obs in treatment 1*/

Then I want to use the command randomtag with the numbers I just calculated above.
However, I don't get the count() to work with variables or locals, which represent these numbers.

* This doesn't work:
randomtag if strata==1, count(s1) gen(T1_1)

Error:
option count() invalid
r(198);

end of do-file

r(198);


* This works, but here I manually type in the numbers in count()
randomtag if strata==1, count(644) gen(T1_1)
randomtag if strata==2, count(644) gen(T1_2)
randomtag if strata==3, count(81) gen(T1_3)
randomtag if strata==4, count(686) gen(T1_4)
randomtag if strata==5, count(707) gen(T1_5)
randomtag if strata==6, count(113) gen(T1_6)
randomtag if strata==7, count(524) gen(T1_7)
randomtag if strata==8, count(493) gen(T1_8)
randomtag if strata==9, count(17) gen(T1_9)
randomtag if strata==10, count(432) gen(T1_10)
randomtag if strata==11, count(430) gen(T1_11)
randomtag if strata==12, count(23) gen(T1_12)

Thanks a lot for your help!
Best regards,
Louise

[William Lisowski]

Perhaps the following sample will show you how to use a local macro as part of a command.

. sysuse auto, clear
(1978 Automobile Data)

. local n 4

. list make in 1/4

     +---------------+
     | make          |
     |---------------|
  1. | AMC Concord   |
  2. | AMC Pacer     |
  3. | AMC Spirit    |
  4. | Buick Century |
     +---------------+

. list make in 1/`n'

     +---------------+
     | make          |
     |---------------|
  1. | AMC Concord   |
  2. | AMC Pacer     |
  3. | AMC Spirit    |
  4. | Buick Century |
     +---------------+