st: Renames add-on to rename multiple variables

[Katy Keenan <keenan.katy@googlemail.com>]

Dear Statalisters,

I have panel study data with 13 rounds, with many files at each round. The
variables are named inconsistently - some by numbers, some by letters. So I
am trying to rename multiple variables to have a consistent structure of
var name + round number.



This is the syntax I am using :


**********************************************************************************

/* get round number from file name*/
local round=substr("`file'",7,.)

/* remove last 4 characters .dta*/

local round1=substr("`round'",1,length("`round'") -4)

/* get var name and rename all variables */

capture foreach var of varlist *  {
local varname=substr("`var'",3,.)

capture noisily renames h5* h6* h7* h8* \ "`var' `varname'`round1'"

}

************************************************************************************

When I run this I get an error saying that variable h5* not found. Can
anyone suggest how I can do this?

Many thanks

Katherine Keenan
LSHTM

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