RE: st: doubt on the output format %w.dg

[Grace Jessie <gracejessie@hotmail.com>]

I want to set one variable to display with two digits to the right of the decimal point if the number of digits to the right of the decimal point is more than 2, otherwise display as it is.
For example.
The value of one variable is "1.2 3.2345 3 5.45"
I hope it to display as "1.2 3.23 3 5.45"
Is there any way?


----------------------------------------
> From: gracejessie@hotmail.com
> To: statalist@hsphsun2.harvard.edu
> Subject: RE: st: doubt on the output format %w.dg
> Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2011 01:09:44 +0000
>
> Nick,
> Of course, I appreciate the programming of -format- very much.
> I just want to learn more and better.
> It seems that there is not a simple rule which can tell us how the format %w.dg works.
> Anyway, thank you very much!
>
> Grace
>
> > Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2011 16:28:38 +0000
> > Subject: Re: st: doubt on the output format %w.dg
> > From: njcoxstata@gmail.com
> > To: statalist@hsphsun2.harvard.edu
> >
> > The results are certainly not random. People would have noticed and
> > complained long since if they were.
> >
> > At this moment I am away from manuals and can not therefore check for
> > further discussion in the manuals. A key point is that the precise
> > algorithm is embedded in proprietary code. I don't recollect that a
> > fully explicit verbal equivalent has ever been included in the
> > manuals.
> >
> > If you have ever tried to program a format that was adaptive to a
> > unpredictable variety of inputs, you will appreciate the difficulty of
> > doing that.
> >
> > In my own programs I usually know what number of decimal places seems
> > sensible and use an %f format.
> >
> > Nick
> >
> > 2011/3/12 Grace Jessie :
> > > NIck,
> > > I had read the -help format- file several times before I asked the question and the examples are all from that.
> > > I can understand %f very well, but %g is another thing.
> > > Does "with %g you give up most of the control and let Stata decide" in your reply mean the result for %g is random?
> > > Or else, what I want to know is how Stata dicides it.
> > > Additionally, in the Users' Guide, it is said that "The %w.0g format is a set of formatting rules that present
> > > the values in as readable a fashion as possible without sacrificing precision. The g format changes
> > > the number of decimal places displayed whenever it improves the readability of the current value."
> > > And it takes the followings for example which puzzle me also.
> > > . di %9.0g sqrt(2)
> > > 1.414214
> > > // The width of 1.414214 is 8. I think it should be 1.4142136 (with the width of 9) which gives less precision sacrifice.
> > >
> > > . di %11.0gc 23667902
> > > 23667902
> > > There are no commas. With regard to it, the explanation in the [D]Data Management is that "This number was too large for
> > > Stata to insert commas and still respect the current width of 11." Why the current width is 11? It is 8 certainly, isn't it?
> > > . di %12.0gc 23667902
> > > 23,667,902
> > > Together with the question in the first posting, I hope for any help.
> > > Thank you.
> > > Grace
> > >
> > >
> > > ----------------------------------------
> > >> Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2011 12:23:08 +0000
> > >> Subject: Re: st: doubt on the output format %w.dg
> > >> From: njcoxstata@gmail.com
> > >> To: statalist@hsphsun2.harvard.edu
> > >>
> > >> -help format- is the place to start. I think the main thing is not to
> > >> expect the rules for %g formats to be much like those for %f formats.
> > >> With %f, you keep most of the control; with %g you give up most of the
> > >> control and let Stata decide.
> > >>
> > >> Nick
> > >>
> > >> >> From: gracejessie@hotmail.com
> > >>
> > >> >> I can not understand the variables' output format %w.dg.
> > >> >> How does Stata leave up to the format the number of digits to be displayed to the right of the decimal point if d equals 0 and not more than d digits will be displayed if d!=0.
> > >> >> For example,
> > >> >> What does "12.0g" mean?
> > >> >> Why "di %12.0g 5231371222.139" or "di %12.1g 5231371222.139" equals "5231371222", not "5231371222.1"? (the width of "5231371222" is 10, not 12.)
> > >> >> Why "di %12.0g 0.0000029394" equals "2.93940e-06", not "2.9394e-06"?
> >
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