st: datelist

[Roger Newson <roger.newson@kcl.ac.uk>]

Fellow Statalisters (especially StataCorp):

I am considering re-releasing my -datelist- package (downloadable from SSC) 
under a new name. The -datelist- command is a version of the -numlist- 
command which creates a list of dates in the returned result -r(numlist)-. 
The reason I want to rename it is that the name -datelist- has now been 
commandeered by StataCorp to describe a numlist with dates. I found this 
out when I typed

whelp datelist

and found some online help about the new -datelist- facility, as yet 
undocumented in the hardcopy manuals. According to this online help, it is 
now legal to have dates in a numlist, but you cannot create lists of dates 
in shorthand. For instance, if I want a list of dates from 01sep1922 to 
01sep1952 separated by intervals of 90 months, then I must still use my own 
-datelist- package, as in the command

. datelist, first(01sep1922) last(01sep1952) unit(month) nunits(90)

and then refer to -`r(numlist)'-.

For the moment, it is possible to type

. findit datelist

and get to a copy of -datelist.hlp- from there, at least if the required 
internet connections are working. However, I would prefer my package to 
have a name of its own, if I am still going to need it in the long run. Are 
there plans to commandeer the name -listdate-? And, if so, are there any 
other names that Stata doesn't want that I might use?

Best wishes (and thanks in advance)

Roger


--
Roger Newson
Lecturer in Medical Statistics
Department of Public Health Sciences
King's College London
5th Floor, Capital House
42 Weston Street
London SE1 3QD
United Kingdom

Tel: 020 7848 6648 International +44 20 7848 6648
Fax: 020 7848 6620 International +44 20 7848 6620
  or 020 7848 6605 International +44 20 7848 6605
Email: roger.newson@kcl.ac.uk
Website: http://phs.kcl.ac.uk/rogernewson/

Opinions expressed are those of the author, not the institution.

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