Python question on setString()

[Sergiy Radyakin]

Dear All,

consider the following fragment:

clear all
version 18.0
python: 

import requests
from sfi import SFIToolkit, Scalar, Macro

def ipinfo1():
    SFIToolkit.rclear()
    Scalar.setString("r(country)","test") # where does this value go??
    Scalar.setValue("r(district)",1)
    Macro.setGlobal("r(region)","some region")
    print(Scalar.getString("r(country)")) # prints nothing
    print("-------- done -------")
end

python: ipinfo1()
scalar list
return list
sreturn list
ereturn list

According to the documentation, the method Scalar.setString() should save the value to a Stata string scalar, which can be, in particular, r()-value, which is what I need. I see the command doesn't affect the r()-values, though it doesn't result in an error.

Q1: Where is the passed value "test" saved?
Q2: Why is this value is not subsequently retrieved with Scalar.getString() ?

Output:

. python: ipinfo1()

-------- done -------

. scalar list

. return list

scalars:
           r(district) =  1

macros:
             r(region) : "some region"

. sreturn list

. ereturn list

. 
end of do-file

.

[Joseph Coveney]

. . . the method Scalar.setString() should save the value to a Stata string scalar, which can be, in particular, r()-value . . .

The documentation in the user's manual for return — Return stored results under the section heading Storing results in r() (p. 476) says:

● return scalar name = exp evaluates exp and stores the result in the scalar return(name). exp must evaluate to a numeric result or missing.

That is, you cannot store a string scalar in r(). I happen to know this because I just got stung by it a few days ago.

[Sergiy Radyakin]

you cannot store a string scalar in r()

Thank you very much. I have a subtle feeling that I already lived through the same puzzle with java in the past. The asymmetry in handling different types of data (strings vs numeric) is rather peculiar.

Still, I’d rather have Stata issue an error message in this case, instead of silently executing a nonsense code.

Best, Sergiy