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help for fixsort
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Sort variables and align in sorted order, with others fixed in position 

        fixsort varlist [if exp] [in range] , generate(newvarlist) [ missing
                 reverse ]


Description 

    fixsort sorts each variable in varlist and generates new variables so
    that all new variables are in sorted order, by default aligned so that
    the first value of each is in the first observation, the second value of
    each is in the second observation, and so on. Reverse sorting (last value
    first, etc.) is also possible.

    Any variables not in varlist retain their current sort order.  The sort
    order of the dataset is unaffected.  Variables may be numeric or string.


Remarks 

    fixsort is a rarely needed command. Almost all sorting problems call for 
    sort or gsort. An example where it may be appropriate is in sorting
    independent batches of random numbers held in separate variables.

    fixsort is unusual in various ways:

        Whatever is stored in any observation for new variables has no
        necessary relationship to values for other variables in the same
        observation.

        By default missing values of any kind (. .a ... .z "") are all
        ignored.  Any such missing values are represented in new variables by
        values of .  or "", as appropriate to the variable type, all stored
        in the later observations of the dataset. Note that treatment of
        missing values is variable by variable, so that the new variables
        created by fixsort may readily possess different numbers of
        non-missing values. See also the missing option below.

        if and in act only to select observations and do not affect the
        storage of new variables in observations 1 up.

    By conscious design, there is no replace option to let users overwrite
    existing variables. Thus no misunderstanding of fixsort should mean that
    users lose data.


Options 

    generate() specifies the names of new variables to hold the sorted values
        of varlist. generate() is a required option.

    missing specifies that missing values of any kind are to be included in
        the sorting. Missing values are treated as is; any other missing
        values (corresponding to observations excluded by if and/or in) are
        created as "" or . (i.e. system missing).

    reverse specifies sorting in reverse order, i.e. highest values first.


Examples 

    Suppose we start in each of the following with these data:

        a   b    c
        3   7   13 
        1   8   12
        2   9   11 

    After fixsort a b c, gen(A B C) we would have

        a   b    c   A   B    C
        3   7   13   1   7   11  
        1   8   12   2   8   12
        2   9   11   3   9   13 

    After fixsort c in 2/3, gen(C23) we would have

        a   b    c  C23
        3   7   13   11
        1   8   12   12   
        2   9   11    . 


Acknowledgments 

    Philippe Van Kerm provoked a reconsideration and rewriting of this
    program.


Author

    Nicholas J. Cox, Durham University, U.K.
    n.j.cox@durham.ac.uk


Also see

    On-line: help for sort, gsort, clsort (if installed)