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variableslabelstataencode

Test Based on Label of Encoded Variable

Say I have a string variable, animal, that takes on values dog, cat, and horse. I encode this string variable to get animal2. How can I then test animal2 using the label as opposed to the actual numeric values?

In other words, I can do a logical test on animal as follows:

gen dog = animal=="dog"

But I get an error if I do the same thing with animal2:

gen dog2 = animal2=="dog"

How can I perform this test using the label? Pseudocode is as follows:

gen dog2 = label(animal2)=="dog"
Solution

  • Basic technique here is documented at [U] 13.11 (e.g. here).

    Here is an example: 

    . sysuse auto, clear
(1978 Automobile Data)

. count if foreign=="Domestic":origin
  52

. count if foreign=="Domestic":`: val label foreign'
  52

    The last example shows a way of looking up the value label name, which may be useful in programs or do-files.