The problem is one of the stored precision of numeric variable types -- a
common topic on the list. You are generating a float var and trying to have
it store 9 digits accurately -- you need to generate a double or long (not
the default float). I haven't checked, but I would guess that destring
checks to see what numeric type is needed to maintain all digits.
Michael Blasnik
[email protected]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Harald Seider" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 1:51 PM
Subject: st: transform string to numeric vars
> Dear List,
>
> I came across a weird problem with STATAs destring command (I am using
> Stata8 on a XP environment).
>
> My intention was to transfer a string variable "hospid" into a numeric
> variable (regardless the usefulness of such an action).
> So far I understand there are two ways to proceed: real(var) and destring
> var. I would have expected that both commands will give identical results.
> Unfortunately they don't.
>
> So I compared both commands:
>
> 'generate hospidold = real(hospid)' and
> 'destring hospid, generate(hospidnew)'
>
> When comparing hospidold and hospidnew I get slightly different results.
>
> Example:
>
> variables: hospid(string) hospidold(float)
> hospidnew(long)
> content: 106010735 106010736 106010735
>
> Therefore 'generate hospidold = real(hospid)' gives wrong results.
>
> Has anybody faced this problem before? Is it a well non issue (I haven't
> found anything on the list so far).
>
> Best
> Harald Seider
>
>
>
> ************************************************
> Dipl. oec. Harald Seider
> Department of Economics II
> Universit�tsstra�e 16
> D-86159 Augsburg
>
> Tel: +49-821-598 4208
> Fax: +49-821-598 4232
>
> E-Mail: [email protected]
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