Re: st: editing string variables to remove letters and keep only numbers

[Nick Cox <njcoxstata@gmail.com>]

Nick
njcoxstata@gmail.com


On 18 June 2013 00:05, Darren White <darrenm.white@health.qld.gov.au> wrote:
> Hi
>
> I would use "destring" with the " force" option (which would return you a variable with only the numeric IDs).
> You could then remove those IDS from your string vars (using if conditions) , perform your routine (below)  then bring back the non-alpha prefixed id's from your destring variable.
>
> Darren
>
>
>
> Darren White BSc MPH
> Epidemiologist
> Preventive Health Unit
> Chief Health Officer Branch
> Department of Health
> Butterfield Street
>
> Herston 4006
> Brisbane
>
> ph: (07) 3328 9288
> mobile:0407 094 595
> Email: DarrenM_White@health.qld.gov.au
>
>
>
>>>> Michael McCulloch <mm@pinestreetfoundation.org> 6/18/2013 8:53 am >>>
> I have a variable in my dataset that (due to changes in data entry practices over time) contains several styles of the variable ID:
>
> - a number (e.g. 164)
> - a letter-number combination (e.g. e64)
> - a comma-separated letter-number combination (e.g. e64,e65)
>
> In seeking to (A) remove the letters, and (B) separate the comma-separated into two separate variables, ID1 and ID2, I wrote the following argument:
>
> . split ID, p(",")
> . gen str id1_new =""// make new ID to separate out the "e" from ID
> . replace id1_new=substr(id1,2,3)
>
>
> This successfully splits ID into ID1 and ID2.
>
> This also works if:
> a 3-digit variable has a preceding letter (e64 is changed to 64)
>
> However, in the case of a 3-digit values WITHOUT PRECEDING LETTER, the first digit is removed (164 is changed to 64).
>
> Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>
>
> Best wishes,
> Michael McCulloch, LAc MPH PhD
>
> --
> Pine Street Foundation, since 1989
> 124 Pine Street | San Anselmo | California | 94960-2674
> P: (415) 407-1357 | F: (206) 338-2391 | http://www.PineStreetFoundation.org
>
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