Many thanks - this explains it.
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Eric A. Booth
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 2:54 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: st: Local macro variable and do file execution
http://www.stata.com/statalist/archive/2008-09/msg00979.html
http://www.stata.com/statalist/archive/2005-11/msg00397.html
On Jul 15, 2009, at 1:47 PM, Susheel Patil wrote:
> Dear All:
>
> I have noticed a rather interesting phenomenon for which I don't
> have an explanation. I'm hoping someone might have an answer. I have
> the following do file:
>
> sum tmp_dp
> local max
> display `max'
> return list
> local max = r(max)
> display `max'
>
> If I select a line from the do file and run each line separately, I
> get the output below. When I try to display the local macro variable
> `max'; STATA tells me it is empty.
>
> . do "C:\DOCUME~1\spatil3\LOCALS~1\Temp\STD06000000.tmp"
> . sum tmp_dp
>
> Variable | Obs Mean Std. Dev. Min Max
> -------------+--------------------------------------------------------
> tmp_dp | 179 2.888268 1.3897 1 6
>
> .
> end of do-file
>
> . do "C:\DOCUME~1\spatil3\LOCALS~1\Temp\STD06000000.tmp"
> . local max
> .
> end of do-file
>
> . do "C:\DOCUME~1\spatil3\LOCALS~1\Temp\STD06000000.tmp"
> . display `max'
>
> .
> end of do-file
>
> . do "C:\DOCUME~1\spatil3\LOCALS~1\Temp\STD06000000.tmp"
> . return list
>
> scalars:
> r(N) = 179
> r(sum_w) = 179
> r(mean) = 2.888268156424581
> r(Var) = 1.931266084991526
> r(sd) = 1.389699998198002
> r(min) = 1
> r(max) = 6
> r(sum) = 517
>
> .
> end of do-file
>
> . do "C:\DOCUME~1\spatil3\LOCALS~1\Temp\STD06000000.tmp"
> . local max = r(max)
>
> .
> end of do-file
>
> . do "C:\DOCUME~1\spatil3\LOCALS~1\Temp\STD06000000.tmp"
> . display `max'
>
> However, when I run the entire do file, STATA tells me `max' is now
> set to 6 (which is what it should be in my example). Output below.
> .
>
> . sum tmp_dp
>
> Variable | Obs Mean Std. Dev. Min Max
> -------------+--------------------------------------------------------
> tmp_dp | 179 2.888268 1.3897 1 6
>
> . local max
> . display `max'
>
> . return list
>
> scalars:
> r(N) = 179
> r(sum_w) = 179
> r(mean) = 2.888268156424581
> r(Var) = 1.931266084991526
> r(sd) = 1.389699998198002
> r(min) = 1
> r(max) = 6
> r(sum) = 517
>
> . local max = r(max)
>
> . display `max'
> 6
>
>
> My question is why is `max' in the 1st situation blank, but in the
> 2nd situation assigned a value?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Susheel Patil
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
> Susheel P. Patil, M.D., Ph.D.
> Assistant Professor of Medicine
> Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center
> Asthma and Allergy Center
> 5501 Hopkins Bayview Circle, Room 4B.41
> Baltimore, MD 21224
>
> Phone: 410-550-2335
> Fax:410-550-3374
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> *
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*
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*
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* http://www.stata.com/support/statalist/faq
* http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/stata/
