collapse problem

[Euslaner]

Sorry this should be simple. I have a dataset that I want to collapse. It is proprietary so I can't post it.

Here are the commands I entered:

. fsum party - partyideology income attend - presapp mip* sat* proud democrat - atheistagnostic *imm* leveldissatisfactionimmigration fulllevel
> satisfactionimmig satimmigration newsat_immig newimmigration_2 newimmigration_2_fs impt_immig

Variable | N Mean SD Min Max
---------------------------------+---------------------------------------------
party | 226621 3.00 1.67 1.00 5.00
partyr | 226984 2.01 0.98 1.00 9.00
partyrr | 226984 2.00 0.83 1.00 9.00
pres_party | 229264 2.25 2.27 1.00 9.00
ideology | 221979 2.80 1.03 1.00 5.00
ideology5 | 226293 2.80 1.02 1.00 5.00
ideology3 | 226293 1.83 0.77 1.00 3.00
partyideology | 225934 3.72 1.96 1.00 6.00
income | 179007 6.40 3.01 1.00 13.00
attend | 224534 2.97 1.54 1.00 5.00
attend3 | 224534 2.17 0.86 1.00 3.00
religiousright | 0
bornagain | 0
presapp | 229264 0.59 0.72 0.00 4.00
mip1 | 229134 29.78 22.00 1.00 96.00
mip2 | 223677 81.76 29.14 1.00 96.00
mip3 | 51387 71.04 34.67 1.00 96.00
mipterrorism | 229264 0.12 0.32 0.00 1.00
mipecon | 229264 0.32 0.47 0.00 1.00
mipforeignpolicy | 229264 0.10 0.30 0.00 1.00
miphealthcare | 229264 0.07 0.25 0.00 1.00
mipgovt | 229264 0.17 0.38 0.00 1.00
mipmoral | 229264 0.06 0.23 0.00 1.00
mip_party | 34184 2.11 0.99 1.00 3.00
mipfp1 | 23081 9.09 4.96 1.00 23.00
mipfp2 | 18701 86.68 26.75 1.00 96.00
mipfp3 | 2031 73.19 38.07 1.00 96.00
mipwelfare | 228735 1.00 0.03 0.00 1.00
mipeconomics | 229264 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
satisfyus | 229264 1.69 0.52 1.00 4.00
satisfyusrecoded | 201653 2.92 1.00 1.00 4.00
satisfypersonal | 116863 0.91 0.43 0.00 4.00
satisfypersonalrecoded | 105235 1.58 0.82 1.00 4.00
sat_qual_life | 228069 1.95 0.79 1.00 4.00
sat_sys_govt | 224601 2.61 1.00 1.00 4.00
sat_pwr_govt | 223040 2.83 0.94 1.00 4.00
sat_moral_clmt | 223236 3.02 0.91 1.00 4.00
sat_opportunity | 224775 2.15 1.02 1.00 4.00
sat_corporations | 220554 2.89 0.93 1.00 4.00
sat_org_relig | 215822 2.43 0.96 1.00 4.00
sat_distr_wealth | 99412 2.98 1.01 1.00 4.00
sat_abortion | 200778 2.73 1.02 1.00 4.00
sat_crime | 216684 2.67 0.90 1.00 4.00
sat_economy | 220593 2.72 0.93 1.00 4.00
sat_education | 221525 2.83 0.96 1.00 4.00
sat_energy | 197015 2.77 0.92 1.00 4.00
sat_envt | 217505 2.54 0.91 1.00 4.00
sat_us_role_world | 216645 2.64 0.97 1.00 4.00
sat_gun_laws | 215491 2.72 1.06 1.00 4.00
sat_accept_gay | 210169 2.66 0.98 1.00 4.00
sat_avail_hc | 219813 3.00 0.99 1.00 4.00
sat_military | 215870 2.04 0.96 1.00 4.00
sat_poverty | 218965 3.08 0.88 1.00 4.00
sat_race_rel | 211613 2.69 0.90 1.00 4.00
sat_taxes | 219272 2.89 0.92 1.00 4.00
sat_ss_medicare | 214511 2.73 0.99 1.00 4.00
sat_qual_med | 197527 2.52 1.04 1.00 4.00
sat_terrorism | 205617 2.40 0.96 1.00 4.00
sat_govt_surv | 32436 2.92 0.97 1.00 4.00
sat_camp_fin | 114502 3.08 0.90 1.00 4.00
sat_pos_min | 162844 2.51 0.91 1.00 4.00
sat_pos_women | 149417 2.20 0.88 1.00 4.00
sat_gov_reg_biz | 68829 2.83 0.91 1.00 4.00
sat_corporations_rec | 185958 2.30 1.06 1.00 4.00
sat_org_relig_rec | 186704 1.82 1.07 1.00 4.00
sat_abortion_rec | 200778 1.94 1.04 1.00 4.00
sat_gun_laws_rec | 197103 1.77 0.89 1.00 4.00
sat_accept_gay_rec | 229264 5.00 0.00 5.00 5.00
sat_taxes_rec | 131203 2.34 1.12 1.00 4.00
sat_gov_reg_biz_rec | 65217 2.44 1.34 1.00 5.00
satisfiedstate | 61982 1.42 0.54 1.00 4.00
satisfiedlocalarea | 61982 1.23 0.45 1.00 4.00
satisfiednow | 98968 2.17 0.82 1.00 5.00
satisfiedfiveyearsago | 99034 2.40 0.98 1.00 5.00
satisfiedfiveyearshence | 97564 1.84 0.87 1.00 5.00
satisfiedhhincome | 7157 2.13 1.19 1.00 5.00
satisfiedjob | 3769 1.62 0.92 1.00 5.00
satisfiedstandardliving | 7204 1.99 1.16 1.00 5.00
satisfiededucation | 7194 1.58 0.90 1.00 5.00
satisfiedhealth | 7205 1.95 1.13 1.00 5.00
satisfiedfamilylife | 7197 1.53 0.97 1.00 5.00
satisfiedcommunity | 7216 1.70 1.03 1.00 5.00
satisfiedhousing | 7208 1.53 0.99 1.00 5.00
satisfiedleisuretime | 7191 1.90 1.21 1.00 5.00
sat_abortiondem | 62708 2.58 1.02 1.00 4.00
sat_crimedem | 66894 2.66 0.87 1.00 4.00
sat_org_relig_recdem | 58284 2.01 1.10 1.00 4.00
sat_abortion_recdem | 62708 1.96 1.12 1.00 4.00
sat_gun_laws_recdem | 61060 1.84 0.71 1.00 4.00
sat_accept_gay_recdem | 70707 5.00 0.00 5.00 5.00
satimmigration | 138326 0.10 0.30 0.00 1.00
sat_gov_reg_bizdem | 19837 2.80 0.88 1.00 4.00
sat_gov_reg_bizrep | 19837 2.80 0.88 1.00 4.00
sat_abortionrep | 91833 2.87 1.00 1.00 4.00
sat_crimerep | 98129 2.65 0.91 1.00 4.00
sat_org_relig_recrep | 84265 1.59 0.98 1.00 4.00
sat_abortion_recrep | 91833 1.91 0.94 1.00 4.00
sat_gun_laws_recrep | 89265 1.68 0.99 1.00 4.00
sat_accept_gay_recrep | 103081 5.00 0.00 5.00 5.00
proud | 50350 1.66 1.03 1.00 7.00
democrat | 226621 0.31 0.46 0.00 1.00
republican | 226621 0.45 0.50 0.00 1.00
independent | 226621 0.09 0.28 0.00 1.00
liberal | 226293 0.23 0.42 0.00 1.00
moderate | 226293 0.38 0.48 0.00 1.00
conservative | 226293 0.40 0.49 0.00 1.00
protestant | 211577 0.52 0.50 0.00 1.00
catholic | 211577 0.23 0.42 0.00 1.00
mormon | 211577 0.02 0.12 0.00 1.00
otherchristian | 211577 0.01 0.10 0.00 1.00
jewish | 211577 0.03 0.16 0.00 1.00
nonchristian | 211577 0.01 0.12 0.00 1.00
otherrelig | 211577 0.02 0.14 0.00 1.00
atheistagnostic | 211577 0.13 0.34 0.00 1.00
overallsatisfactionimmigration | 229264 0.59 0.91 0.00 2.00
leveldissatisfactionimmigration | 138326 0.10 0.30 0.00 1.00
fulllevelsatisfactionimmig | 97953 0.08 0.27 0.00 1.00
finallevelsatisfactionimmig | 229264 0.72 0.96 0.00 2.00
impt_immig | 229264 0.05 0.22 0.00 1.00
impt_immigdum | 20995 0.88 0.32 0.00 1.00
newsat_immig | 128092 2.37 0.63 1.00 3.00
newimmigration_2 | 138326 2.57 0.67 1.00 3.00
newimmigration_2_fs | 97953 2.47 0.64 1.00 3.00
overallimmig | 229264 0.59 0.91 0.00 2.00
overallimmigdem | 63924 2.79 0.92 1.00 4.00
satimmigration | 138326 0.10 0.30 0.00 1.00
overallimmigrep | 229264 0.19 0.58 0.00 2.00
newsat_immignew | 128092 0.55 0.50 0.00 1.00
newimmigration_2new | 138326 0.33 0.47 0.00 1.00
newimmigration_2_fsnew | 97953 0.45 0.50 0.00 1.00
leveldissatisfactionimmigration | 138326 0.10 0.30 0.00 1.00
fulllevelsatisfactionimmig | 97953 0.08 0.27 0.00 1.00
satimmigration | 138326 0.10 0.30 0.00 1.00
newsat_immig | 128092 2.37 0.63 1.00 3.00
newimmigration_2 | 138326 2.57 0.67 1.00 3.00
newimmigration_2_fs | 97953 2.47 0.64 1.00 3.00
impt_immig | 229264 0.05 0.22 0.00 1.00

.
I entered the collapse command with the following Stata response:

collapse party - partyideology income attend - presapp mip* sat* proud democrat - atheistagnostic *imm* leveldissatisfactionimmigration fulll
> evelsatisfactionimmig satimmigration newsat_immig newimmigration_2 newimmigration_2_fs impt_immig ,by(state)
error:
satimmigration = (mean) satimmigration
satimmigration = (mean) satimmigration
name conflict
r(198);

Why does this occur when:


. tab satimmigration

satimmigrat |
ion | Freq. Percent Cum.
------------+-----------------------------------
0 | 124,078 89.70 89.70
1 | 14,248 10.30 100.00
------------+-----------------------------------
Total | 138,326 100.00



Any help would be appreciated.

Ric Uslaner

[Nick Cox]

You are asking for the same variable twice over. satimmigration is covered by two wild cards sat* and imm*

collapse threw you out the first time it spotted the problem, but it will recur.

Some technique (irrelevant output edited out).

. sysuse auto, clear
(1978 automobile data)

. ds
make          mpg           headroom      weight        turn          gear_ratio
price         rep78         trunk         length        displacement  foreign

. d t* *u*

Variable      Storage   Display    Value
    name         type    format    label      Variable label
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
trunk           int     %8.0g                 Trunk space (cu. ft.)
turn            int     %8.0g                 Turn circle (ft.)
trunk           int     %8.0g                 Trunk space (cu. ft.)
turn            int     %8.0g                 Turn circle (ft.)

. unab myvars : t* *u*

. mac li
_myvars:        trunk turn trunk turn

. local myvars : list uniq myvars

. mac li
_myvars:        trunk turn

[Euslaner]

Thanks but now I get:

. collapse party - partyideology income attend attend3 presapp mipterrorism mipecon mipforeignpolicy miphealthcare mipgovt mipmoral satis
> fyus - sat_accept_gay_recrep proud democrat - atheistagnostic overallsatisfactionimmigration impt_immig ,by(state)
error:
mipterrorism = (mean) mipterrorism
mipterrorism = (mean) mipterrorism
name conflict
r(198);

.
. fsum mipterrorism - mipmoral

Variable | N Mean SD Min Max
------------------+---------------------------------------------
mipterrorism | 229264 0.12 0.32 0.00 1.00
mipecon | 229264 0.32 0.47 0.00 1.00
mipforeignpolicy | 229264 0.10 0.30 0.00 1.00
miphealthcare | 229264 0.07 0.25 0.00 1.00
mipgovt | 229264 0.17 0.38 0.00 1.00
mipmoral | 229264 0.06 0.23 0.00 1.00

.

[Nick Cox]

It’s the same problem. You must remove duplicated names from the list of variable names for what you want to do.

[Euslaner]

Sorry to trouble again. I was away and now have:

des party - partyideology income attend - presapp mip* sat* proud democrat - atheistagnostic *imm* leveldissatisfactionimmigration fulllevels
> atisfactionimmig newsat_immig newimmigration_2 newimmigration_2_fs impt_immig ,full

storage display value
variable name type format label variable label
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
party byte %12.0g party Party Affil
partyr byte %12.0g partyr Party w leaners allocated
partyrr byte %12.0g partyrr Party-original question
pres_party byte %12.0g pres_party
Identify with/Lean to Party of President
ideology byte %12.0g ideol Ideology: Initial Question
ideology5 byte %12.0g ideolr R: Ideology - 5 categories - dk into moderate
ideology3 byte %12.0g ideolrr Ideol - 3 catetories
partyideology byte %12.0g pidideol Party ID X Ideology
income byte %12.0g income Income -- Full Categories
attend byte %12.0g oftnchrc Often attend church
attend3 byte %12.0g churchat Church Attendance - Three Categories
religiousright byte %12.0g relright Consider Self Member of Religious Right
bornagain byte %12.0g bornagn Describe Self as Born-Again or Evangelical
presapp byte %12.0g presapp Presidential Job Approval
mip1 byte %12.0g mip1 Most Important Problem: First Mention
mip2 byte %12.0g mip2 Most Important Problem: Second Mention
mip3 byte %12.0g mip3 Most Important Problem: Third Mention
mipterrorism byte %12.0g mipterr Number of Mentions of Terrorism as MIP
mipecon byte %12.0g mipecon Number of Mentions of Economy as MIP
mipforeignpolicy
byte %12.0g mipwar Number of Mentions of War in Iraq/Afghanistan as MIP
miphealthcare byte %12.0g miphc Number of Mentions of HealthCare as MIP
mipgovt byte %12.0g mipgovt Number of Mentions of Dissatisfaction with Government as MIP
mipmoral byte %12.0g mipmoral Numbr of Mentions of Moral/Ethical/Family Decline as MIP
mip_party byte %12.0g mippartynew
Party Better Able to Handle Most Important Problem
mipfp1 byte %12.0g mipfp1 Most Important Family Financial Problem: First Mention
mipfp2 byte %12.0g mipfp2 Most Important Family Financial Problem: Second Mention
mipfp3 byte %12.0g mipfp3 Most Important Family Financial Problem: Third Mention
satisfyus byte %12.0g sat_us Satisfaction with Way Things Going in US
satisfyusrecoded
byte %12.0g sat_usr US Satisfaction Recoded
satisfypersonal byte %12.0g sat_prs Satisfaction with Way Things Going in Personal Life
satisfypersonalrecoded
byte %12.0g sat_prsr Personal Satisfaction Recoded
sat_qual_life byte %12.0g sat_qual_life
Satisfaction: Overall Quality of Life
sat_sys_govt byte %12.0g sat_sys_govt
Satisfaction: System of Goverment
sat_pwr_govt byte %12.0g sat_pwr_govt
Satisfaction: Size and Power of Federal Govt
sat_moral_clmt byte %12.0g sat_moral_clmt
Satisfaction: Moral and Ethical Climate
sat_opportunity byte %12.0g sat_opportunity
Satisfaction: Opportunity for Person to Get Ahead by Working Hard
sat_corporations
byte %12.0g sat_corporations
Satisfaction: Size and Influence of Major Corporations
sat_org_relig byte %12.0g sat_org_relig
Satisfaction: Influence of Organized Religion
sat_distr_wealth
byte %12.0g sat_distr_wealth
Satisfaction: Way Income and Wealth are Distributed in the U.S.
sat_abortion byte %12.0g sat_abortion
Satisfaction: Policies Regarding Abortion
sat_crime byte %12.0g sat_crime
Satisfaction: Policies to Reduce Crime
sat_economy byte %12.0g sat_economy
Satisfaction: State of Nations Economy
sat_education byte %12.0g sat_education
Satisfaction: Quality of Public Education
sat_energy byte %12.0g sat_energy
Satisfaction: Nations Energy Policies
sat_envt byte %12.0g sat_envt Satisfaction: Quality of the Environment
sat_us_role_world
byte %12.0g sat_us_role_world
Satisfaction: Role America Plays in World Affairs
sat_gun_laws byte %12.0g sat_gun_laws
Satisfaction: Nations Laws on Guns
sat_accept_gay byte %12.0g sat_accept_gay
Satisfaction: Acceptance of Gays and Lesbians in this Nation
sat_avail_hc byte %12.0g sat_avail_hc
Satisfaction: Availability of Affordable Health Care
sat_military byte %12.0g sat_military
Satisfaction: Military Strength and Preparedness
sat_poverty byte %12.0g sat_poverty
Satisfaction: Efforts to Deal with Poverty and Homelessness
sat_race_rel byte %12.0g sat_race_rel
Satisfaction: State of Race Relations
sat_taxes byte %12.0g sat_taxes
Satisfaction: Amount Americans Pay in Federal Taxes
sat_ss_medicare byte %12.0g sat_ss_medicare
Satisfaction: Social Security and Medicare Systems
sat_qual_med byte %12.0g sat_qual_med
Satisfaction: Quality of Medical Care in the Nation
sat_terrorism byte %12.0g sat_terrorism
Satisfaction: Nations Security from Terrorism
sat_govt_surv byte %12.0g sat_govt_surv
Satisfaction: Govt Surveillance of U.S. Citizens
sat_camp_fin byte %12.0g sat_camp_fin
Satisfaction: Campaign Finance Laws
sat_pos_min byte %12.0g sat_pos_min
Satisfaction: Positon of Blacks and Other Racial Minorities
sat_pos_women byte %12.0g sat_pos_women
Satisfaction: Position of Women in the Nation
sat_gov_reg_biz byte %12.0g sat_gov_reg_biz
Satisfaction: Govt Regulation of Businesses and Industries
sat_corporations_rec
byte %12.0g sat_corporations_rec
Recoded Satisfaction with Corporate Power
sat_org_relig_rec
byte %12.0g sat_org_relig_rec
Recoded Satisfaction with Influence of Organized Religion
sat_abortion_rec
byte %12.0g sat_abortion_rec
Recoded Satisfaction with U.S. Abortion Policy
sat_gun_laws_rec
byte %12.0g sat_gun_laws_rec
Recoded Satisfaction with U.S. Gun Policy
sat_accept_gay_rec
byte %12.0g sat_accept_gay_rec
Recoded Satisfaction with Acceptance of Gays and Lesbians in U.S.
sat_taxes_rec byte %12.0g sat_taxes_rec
Recoded Satisfaction with Amount Americans Pay in Taxes
sat_gov_reg_biz_rec
byte %12.0g sat_gov_reg_biz_rec
Recoded Satisfaction with Govt Regulation of Businesses and Industries
satisfiedstate byte %12.0g sat_sta Satisfaction with Way Things Going in Your State
satisfiedlocalarea
byte %12.0g sat_loc Satisfaction with Way Things Going in Your Local Community
satisfiednow byte %12.0g self_lad_now_rec
Ladder Scale: Personal Situation Now
satisfiedfiveyearsago
byte %12.0g self_lad_5yr_ago_rec
Ladder Scale: Personal Situation Five Years Ago
satisfiedfiveyearshence
byte %12.0g self_lad_5yr_now_rec
Ladder Scale: Personal Situation Five Years from Now
satisfiedhhincome
byte %12.0g sat_prs_income
Satisfaction: Your Household Income
satisfiedjob byte %12.0g sat_prs_job
Satisfaction: Your Job or the Work You Do
satisfiedstandardliving
byte %12.0g sat_prs_sol
Satisfaction: Your Standard of Living
satisfiededucation
byte %12.0g sat_prs_educ
Satisfaction: Your Education
satisfiedhealth byte %12.0g sat_prs_health
Satisfaction: Your Personal Health
satisfiedfamilylife
byte %12.0g sat_prs_family
Satisfaction: Your Family Life
satisfiedcommunity
byte %12.0g sat_prs_community
Satisfaction: Your Community as a Place to Live
satisfiedhousing
byte %12.0g sat_prs_housing
Satisfaction: Your Current Housing
satisfiedleisuretime
byte %12.0g sat_prs_leisure
Satisfaction: The Amount of Leisure Time You Have
sat_abortiondem float %9.0g
sat_crimedem float %9.0g
sat_org_relig_recdem
float %9.0g
sat_abortion_recdem
float %9.0g
sat_gun_laws_recdem
float %9.0g
sat_accept_gay_recdem
float %9.0g
satimmigration float %9.0g
sat_gov_reg_bizdem
float %9.0g
sat_gov_reg_bizrep
float %9.0g
sat_abortionrep float %9.0g
sat_crimerep float %9.0g
sat_org_relig_recrep
float %9.0g
sat_abortion_recrep
float %9.0g
sat_gun_laws_recrep
float %9.0g
sat_accept_gay_recrep
float %9.0g
proud byte %12.0g proud How Proud to Be an American
democrat byte %8.0g
republican byte %8.0g
independent byte %8.0g
liberal byte %9.0g
moderate byte %9.0g
conservative byte %9.0g
protestant byte %8.0g relpref2==Protestant/Chrisitan (non-specific)
catholic byte %8.0g relpref2==Catholic
mormon byte %8.0g relpref2==Mormon
otherchristian byte %8.0g relpref2==Other specific Christian religion
jewish byte %8.0g relpref2==Jewish
nonchristian byte %8.0g relpref2==Other non-Christian religion
otherrelig byte %8.0g relpref2==Other (unspecified)
atheistagnostic byte %8.0g relpref2==None/Atheist/Agnostic
overallsatisfactionimmigration
byte %12.0g sat_immig
Satisfaction: Level of Immigration
leveldissatisfactionimmigration
byte %12.0g immigration_2
Level of Immigration in this Country (asked of those dissatisfied)
fulllevelsatisfactionimmig
byte %12.0g immigration_2_fs
Level of Immigration in this Country (Full sample)
finallevelsatisfactionimmig
byte %12.0g sat_immig_rec
Recoded Satisfaction with Level of Immigration Into U.S.
impt_immig byte %12.0g impt_immig
Importance for Congress and President to Deal With: Immigration
impt_immigdum byte %9.0g
newsat_immig byte %21.0g sat_immig
Satisfaction: Level of Immigration
newimmigration_2
byte %21.0g immigration_2
Level of Immigration in this Country (asked of those dissatisfied)
newimmigration_2_fs
byte %21.0g immigration_2_fs
Level of Immigration in this Country (Full sample)
overallimmig float %9.0g
overallimmigdem float %9.0g
satimmigration float %9.0g
overallimmigrep float %9.0g
leveldissatisfactionimmigration
byte %12.0g immigration_2
Level of Immigration in this Country (asked of those dissatisfied)
fulllevelsatisfactionimmig
byte %12.0g immigration_2_fs
Level of Immigration in this Country (Full sample)
newsat_immig byte %21.0g sat_immig
Satisfaction: Level of Immigration
newimmigration_2
byte %21.0g immigration_2
Level of Immigration in this Country (asked of those dissatisfied)
newimmigration_2_fs
byte %21.0g immigration_2_fs
Level of Immigration in this Country (Full sample)
impt_immig byte %12.0g impt_immig
Importance for Congress and President to Deal With: Immigration

.Then:

. collapse party - partyideology income attend - presapp mip* satisfyus - satisfypersonalrecoded sat_qual_life - sat_gov_reg_biz_rec satisfieds
> tate - satisfiedleisuretime sat_abortiondem - sat_accept_gay_recrep proud democrat - atheistagnostic *imm* overallsatisfactionimmigration le
> veldissatisfactionimmigration fulllevelsatisfactionimmig satimmigration newsat_immig newimmigration_2 newimmigration_2_fs overallimmig overall
> immigdem overallimmigrep leveldissatisfactionimmigration fulllevelsatisfactionimmig newsat_immig newimmigration_2 newimmigration_2_fs newimmi
> gration_2_fs impt_immig ,by(state)
error:
overallsatisfactionimmigration = (mean) overallsatisfactionimmigration
overallsatisfactionimmigration = (mean) overallsatisfactionimmigration
name conflict

overallsatisfactionimmigration is there only once. I don't understand what the problem is. Any help would be appreciated.

[Leonardo Guizzetti]

It’s still the same problem. You are duplicating variable names in your call to collapse. The solution provided by Nick can be used to fix it, or else you might be better off to type out each variable name rather than using ranges and wildcards till you have the problem under control.

[Clyde Schechter]

Using a varlist that contains both individual variable names listed by themselves and wildcards that might, potentially, expand to include those same variables, can be difficult, in that reckoning exactly which variables occur in the expansion of the wildcards and matching them to the solo variable names may be tedious and error-prone when done by a person. Moreover, it is a "brittle" solution to the problem: a small change to the data set or the -collapse- command can undo the solution and resurrect the duplicationproblem, or, potentially result in omitting a variable inadvertently. So let Stata resolve it for you automatically:

unab to_collapse: party - partyideology income attend - presapp mip* satisfyus - satisfypersonalrecoded sat_qual_life - sat_gov_reg_biz_rec satisfiedstate - satisfiedleisuretime sat_abortiondem - sat_accept_gay_recrep proud democrat - atheistagnostic *imm* overallsatisfactionimmigration leveldissatisfactionimmigration fulllevelsatisfactionimmig satimmigration newsat_immig newimmigration_2 newimmigration_2_fs overallimmig overallimmigdem overallimmigrep leveldissatisfactionimmigration fulllevelsatisfactionimmig newsat_immig newimmigration_2 newimmigration_2_fs newimmigration_2_fs impt_immig

local to_collapse: list uniq to_collapse

collapse `to_collapse', by(state)

[Euslaner]

Many thanks. That worked perfectly,