Re: st: order of arguments

[Matthew White <mwhite@poverty-action.org>]

Hi Tashi,

You could try using -confirm- and -assert- to make sure that `a', `b',
and `c' look like they should. E.g.:

* Start test.do.

args a b c

confirm number `b'
confirm number `c'

display "`a'"
display `b' + `c'

* End test.do

Then -do test apple 4 5- works, but -do test 4 apple 5- errors immediately.

Alternatively, you could use -syntax-. Though, I've never actually
seen -syntax- outside of a -program-.

* Start test.do.

mata: st_local("0", subinstr(st_local("0"), ";", ",", 1))
syntax, a(string) b(real) c(real)

display "`a'"
display `b' + `c'

* End test.do

Then -do test; a(apple) b(4) c(5)- works fine (note semicolon instead
of comma), as does -do test; b(4) a(apple) c(5)-, but -do test; a(4)
b(apple) c(5)- errors immediately.

Best,
Matt

On Thu, Apr 12, 2012 at 4:29 PM, tashi lama <ltashi32@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hellow All,
>
>     I am writing a do file (test.do) which will have 3 arguments a, b and c. When I run
>
>
>
> do test apple 4 5
>
> stata will think apple as a, 4 as b and so on. This might be a problem if your program displays the first argument and adds the last two and you run it in wrong order
>
>
>
> do test 4 apple 5
>
>
>
> Is there a way to have stata understand that apple is argument a, 4 is a and 5 is c despite the order of the parameters while running?
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Tashi
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *
> *   For searches and help try:
> *   http://www.stata.com/help.cgi?search
> *   http://www.stata.com/support/statalist/faq
> *   http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/stata/



-- 
Matthew White
Data Coordinator
Innovations for Poverty Action
101 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06510 USA
+1 434-305-9861
www.poverty-action.org

*
*   For searches and help try:
*   http://www.stata.com/help.cgi?search
*   http://www.stata.com/support/statalist/faq
*   http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/stata/