Removing the last digit of a variable with unequal length

[Kevin Marian]

Hi Statalist!

I have a variable (int format) and I would like to create another variable that removes the last digit of said variable.

* Example generated by -dataex-. To install: ssc install dataex
clear
input int ward
141
 31
171
133
173
311
381
 91
101
291
101
111
113
123
243
 91
103
132
142
 13
 13
 21
103
 61
121
141
 41
 73
143
233
 21
141
311
 41
103
132
151
271
 41
 83
121
 91
341
241
 22
101
 31
171
193
111
 83
341
181
 83
101
 53
 71
 22
 93
 93
193
 83
 91
111
 62
123
 51
131
101
123
123
 71
 12
 42
 42
 62
 72
 82
 92
 92
112
152
232
242
242
 62
102
202
 12
102
132
182
192
212
222
 11
 61
 81
161
183
end

So if ward is equal to 141, I would like the new variable to be 14. If ward is equal to 92, I would like the new variable to equal 9.
The ward variable is either 2 digits or 3 digits long.

Any tips on how I can do this?
Do I have make ward into a string variable and then use subinstr() or substr?

Many thanks!
Kevin

[Marcos Almeida]

You may try this code:

gen newvar = round(ward/10)

[Kevin Marian]

Marcos Almeida - Thank you so much! Your code does the trick.

[Nick Cox]

Strictly, floor(ward/10) always drops digits while round() will do that only sometimes.

[Marcos Almeida]

Nick Cox ' s code, as always, is the best one.

Just for the sake of giving alternatives, there is also the int() function, which will do fine in this particular case as well, as shown by the - assert - command.

gen var1 = round(ward/10)
gen var2 = floor(ward/10)
gen var3 = int(ward/10)
assert var1 == var2
assert var2 == var3
assert var1 == var3

[Kevin Marian]

Thank you both for your feedback.
I appreciate your help.

Kevin