Help with 'not equal to' sign - invalid syntax error

[Guest]

Hello, I am trying to create a new variable, let's say low-education, for those individuals who do not have a degree. When I use a standard command "gen low-edu=1 if high_qual!=1" the STATA gives "invalid syntax" error. I tried to use "~=" symbol instead to specify "not equal to", but I encounter the same problem. Is there anything else I can do?

[Nick Cox]

The error lies elsewhere. low-edu is an illegal variable name. low_edu would be legal. If minuses were allowed in variable names, you would need quite different syntax to subtract one variable from another.

[Marco Errico]

Stata doesn't allow to specify variable with "-" symbol. Try instead

gen low_edu=1 if high_qual!=1

[Guest]

Dear Nick Cox and Marco Errico, thank you so much!