Renaming underscored variables at once

[C Leon]

Hello,

I am using Stata 11 and have a set of variables that use underscores, see list below:

_401
_402
_402_1
_402_2
_403
_403a
_403b

I would like to rename the variables so that underscores are removed and replaced with an 's' in front of the variables, as shown below:

s401
s402
s402_1
s402_2
s403
s403a
s403b

Is there any way to rename this set of variables at once instead of renaming them one by one? This is what I have tried so far:

foreach v of varlist _401 _402 _402_1 _402_2 _403 _403a _403b {
2. rename `v' s`v'
3. }

and

foreach v of varlist _401 _402 _402_1 _402_2 _403 _403a _403b {
2. local V: subinstr local v "_" "", all
3. rename `v' s`v'
4. }

In both cases Stata just added the 's' in front of the '_' (i.e. s_401) and I want to remove the '_' and add the 's'.

Thank you!
Carr

[Nick Cox]

Although it is somewhat played down now

renpfix _  s

is a simple way to do this and is, if I recollect correctly, well documented in Stata 11.

Let's fix your loop:

foreach v of varlist _* {
     local V: subinstr local v "_" "", all
     rename `v' s`V'
}

You defined a useful macro, but never used it.

Also check out renvars (SJ) and the new rename (in Stata 12/13, when you upgrade). (I need to check whether rename was rewritten for Stata 11 or 12.)


(This should have been posted in the General forum.)

[C Leon]

I downloaded renvars (directly in Stata by searching renvars, then clicking on “dm88_1″, and then clicking on “(click here to install)”) and it worked perfectly!

Many thanks!!!
Carr