Using local within local variable name

[Samyam Shrestha]

How can I do the following using a loop? I'm weary as there is a local file within the quotation signs and so, I cannot use loop anymore.

tempfile file1
import excel using "file1.xlsx", firstrow clear
save `file1', replace

tempfile file2
import excel using "file2.xlsx", firstrow clear
save `file2', replace

tempfile file3
import excel using "file3.xlsx", firstrow clear
save `file3', replace

use `file1', clear
append `file2'
append `file3'

I cannot do the following, especially `file`i'' line.

forval i=1/3 {
    tempfile file`i'
    import excel using "file`i'.xlsx", firstrow clear
    save `file`i'', replace
}

use `file1', clear
append `file2'
append `file3'

Any way I can get around this? Thank you!

[William Lisowski]

Does your code without the loops work successfully? There is nothing wrong with the syntax of your commands. The one change I would make is replace

    save `file`i'', replace

with

    save "`file`i''", replace

in case there are spaces embedded in the path to the temporary file. But I would have expected that to also be a problem in the code without the loops.