st: Getting number of files via -fs-

[Partho Sarkar <partho.ss+lists@gmail.com>]

I am using Nick Cox's -fs- utility to automate a recurrent append
files operation (that part works like a charm!)  As a part of this, I
now need to keep track of of the number of  files  processed.  For
some reason, I simply cannot get this part right.  Here is what I
tried (there are 7 (seven)  files in the directory):

----------------------------CODE
BEGIN-----------------------------------------------------
// First attempt
fs *.dta
// displays ab_c.dta c_def.dta ... (7 files)
local numfiles: list sizeof `"`r(files)'"'
// With nested double quotes (tried with single quotes too-doesn't
seem to make any difference)!
// Error message: _""ab_c.dta" "c_def.dta"  invalid name

// Second attempt
fs *.dta
local numfiles : word count "`r(files)'"
di "`numfiles'"
// Error: shows "9" (no quotes) !

// Last attempt -with nested double quotes again
fs *.dta
local numfiles : word count `"`r(files)'"'
// Shows 1 (the number one)!

-------------------------------CODE
ENDS--------------------------------------------------------

What am I doing wrong? :-)  Or should i be using some other means
altogether?  (Sorry if this is too trivial !)

Thanks

Partho

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