I can never remember the foreach syntax

[Larry Hanser]

here is my latest attempt:

foreach `var' of varlist freqcsi1_1-freqreport1_15 {
replace `var' = `var' - 1
}

invalid syntax
r(198);

I get it right sometimes, but not consistently. What is wrong in the above?

`var' in the first line should be simply var


aargh

[Leonardo Guizzetti]

It happens to us all. Fortunately, it's a simple command to reference the help file and get the correct syntax when we forget or stumble like this. See -help foreach- and the related -help forvalues-.

[Nick Cox]

One way of remembering this may be that references to `var' don't make sense before you have explained that var is the name you will use. However, as that doesn't work for other languages I know about, it may not help.