{smcl} help {hi:autorename} {hline} {title:Title} {p 4 4 2}{cmd:autorename} {hline 2} Rename variables according to a row in the dataset. {title:Syntax} {p 8 14 2}{cmd:autorename} [{it:varlist} , {cmd:row(}{it:#}{cmd:)} {cmd:nodrop} {cmd:nolower} {cmd:vseparator(}{it:string}{cmd:)} {cmd:varlabels}] {title:Description} {p 4 4 2}{cmd:autorename} renames variables according to a specified row in the dataset. This can be useful when reading text files into Stata. For example, you may need to {cmd:insheet} and manipulate a text file before the variable names are accessible. {cmd:autorename} takes care to make variable names conform to Stata's naming scheme. For example, it eliminates characters like '*' and '&' before renaming. {title:Options} {p 4 8 2} {cmd:row(}{it:#}{cmd:)} specifies the row number containing the new variable names. The default is to use the first row. {p 4 8 2} {cmd:nodrop} instructs Stata not to drop the row of data containing the new variable names. {p 4 8 2} {cmd:nolower} instructs Stata not to lowercase the renamed variables. {p 4 8 2} {cmd:vseparator(}{it:string}{cmd:)} specifies what string should be used to replace spaces in variable names (since Stata prohibits spaces in variable names). If {hi:vseparator()} is not specified then {hi:vseparator(}""{hi:)} is assumed (so that words will be concatenated together). {p 4 8 2} {cmd:varlabels} labels the variables with their new variable names in addition to renaming them. No characters are parsed out of the variable label. {title:Example} {col 8}{cmd:. {stata sysuse auto.dta, clear}} {col 8}{cmd:. {stata tempfile t}} {col 8}{cmd:. {stata outsheet using "`t'", replace}} {col 8}{cmd:. {stata insheet using "`t'", nonames clear}} {col 8}{cmd:. {stata autorename}} {title:Author} {p 4 4 2}Julian Reif, University of Chicago {p 4 4 2}jreif@uchicago.edu {title:Also see} {p 4 4 2} {help rename:rename}