--- Simon Oertel <[email protected]> wrote:
> I have a question regarding the combination of four datasets. I used
> the -merge- command which worked well for three of them. However, the
> fourth dataset makes me trouble.
>
> All datasets have a variable which enables me to combine them (an ID
> that is similar in all datasets). The fourth dataset holds different
> information in different rows for the same ID. My problem is that if
> I merge the datasets, the number of cases in my final dataset will
> increase.
What you want is to -reshape- file 4 first in wide format, see -help
reshape- and the example below:
*---------- begin example ------------
drop _all
tempfile file4
input ID VariableY
1 10
2 20
2 25
2 30
3 30
4 40
end
bys ID: gen t = _n
reshape wide VariableY, i(ID) j(t)
sort ID
save `file4'
drop _all
input ID VariableX
1 40
2 30
3 20
4 10
end
sort ID
merge ID using `file4'
tab _merge
drop _merge
list
*--------- end example ------------
(For more on how to use examples I sent to the Statalist,
see: http://home.fsw.vu.nl/m.buis/stata/exampleFAQ.html )
Hope this helps,
Maarten
-----------------------------------------
Maarten L. Buis
Department of Social Research Methodology
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Boelelaan 1081
1081 HV Amsterdam
The Netherlands
visiting address:
Buitenveldertselaan 3 (Metropolitan), room Z434
+31 20 5986715
http://home.fsw.vu.nl/m.buis/
-----------------------------------------
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