st: Re: Using scalars when defining matrices

["Michael Blasnik" <michael.blasnik@verizon.net>]

You should only use single quotes to refer to local macros, not scalars. 
Scalars are referred to just as variables are -- so you need  to be careful 
about naming them.  In programming contexts, people often use -tempname- to 
create a local macro that can be used to name the scalar (and then requiring 
the single quotes).  An alternative is to use the scalar() function to make 
sure they are evaluated as scalars.

Michael Blasnik

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rachel" <academicgirl@gmail.com>
To: "statalist" <statalist@hsphsun2.harvard.edu>
Sent: Thursday, December 07, 2006 7:48 PM
Subject: st: Using scalars when defining matrices



> I'm having trouble with the syntax of matrix define (or input) when
> using scalars.  When I try the following:
>
> scalar b3=2
> matrix input Matrixnew=(1,`b3',`b3',`b3'\ `b3',1,0,0\ `b3',0,1,0\ 
> `b3',0,0,1)
>
> I get a syntax error even though I've put a space in between the
> slashes and the scalars (per the manual) to avoid confusion.  What am
> I doing wrong?
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