Re: st: RE: destringing values led to Stata recoding them as missing

[Suzy <scott_788@wowway.com>]

Hi John,

I don't know if this matters but I'm not starting with purely string 
variables. I have variables that have datapoints of which some are 
string and some are numeric. Also John, would the destring option 
restore my original values as now the destringed values are missing....
Suzy

Wallace, John wrote:


> Suzy
> You might want to consider -encode- instead of destring.  Presumably you're
> starting with string variables.  Encode will create a new variable with
> incrementing value in (I believe) alphabetical order of the original
> variable, plus it will make a value label corresponding to the original
> string.  This is useful if you need to be able to relate the new variable
> value back to the original string.
>
> e.g.
> .encode var1, gen(code1)
>
> -JW
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Suzy [mailto:scott_788@wowway.com] 
> Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 2:45 PM
> To: statalist@hsphsun2.harvard.edu
> Subject: st: destringing values led to Stata recoding them as missing
>
> Dear Statalisters;
>
> I have seven variables of over 300,000 observations each. Within each  
> variable, I have over 2000 different  values.  These datapoints 
> represent  specific codes - for example : (72200  = intervertebral disc 
> disorder). Within each of these  seven variables, there are datapoints 
> (values) with dashes or alphabets (Ie: 4109-  or V2389).  The majority 
> of the values though, are purely numeric (23405). I used the destring 
> option so that I could analyze the data and Stata treated all those 
> datapoints that included dashes and alphabets as missing. Now there is a 
> period . where there used to be a value.  I have two questions:
>
> 1. Will the restring option restore the datapoints?
>
> 2. How can I successfully "destring" these values so that I can include 
> them in my analysis?
>
> Any  help and/or specific code would be very helpful as I am only 
> marginally competent with Stata basics.
>
> Thank you!
> Suzy
>
>
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