Calling multiple elements in the foreach macro

[Nabeela NAlam]

Hello all,

I am stuck on how to code a loop that will essentially execute the following for the multiple time periods:

corr x y if year>=1983 & year<1990
corr x y if year>=1990 & year<2000
corr x y if year>=2000 & year<2012

Since I'm producing more than just simple correlations, including different scenarios each time period and graphs with the time period coded in the title, the code is quite lengthy. Ideally, I'd run a loop that looks something like that below, but am not sure how to call a second set of values for the end of the time period

foreach y in 1980 1992 2000 2011 {
corr x y if year>=`y' & year < [???]
}

I've searched online and on Statalist, but seems to be a complicated search and not yielding any results. Any pointers is much appreciated!

Nabeela

[Clyde Schechter]

local years 1980 1992 2000 2011 . // DON'T FORGET THE . AT THE END
local n_years: word count `years'
forvalues i = 1/`=`n_years'-1' {
    local ybegin: word `i' of `years'
    local yend: word `=`i'+1' of `years'
    corr xy if year >= `ybegin' & year < `yend'
}

Note: No example data provided, so not tested. Beware of typos or other errors.

[Nabeela NAlam]

This worked beautifully - THANK YOU!

[Nick Cox]

Although extending technique is always interesting, I would just write here

corr x y if inrange(year, 1983, 1989)

corr x y if inrange(year, 1990, 1999) 

corr x y if inrange(year. 2000, 2011) 

which is shorter and (I suggest) not more difficult to understand.