help txtlabdef
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title

     txtlabdef -- Define value labels from ASCII (text) file

Syntax

        txtlabdef [dofile] using filename [, options]


     where dofile is the do-file to be created
     and filename is the ASCII (text) file, containing the value labels

     Use double quotes if dofile or filename contain embedded spaces. If
     filename is specified without extension .txt is the default.


    options                Description
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
      quotes               do not remove double quotes from value labels
      remove(str)          remove str from content in filename
      start(#)             value labels in filename start at line #
      stop(#)              value labels in filename end at line #
      replace              replace existing do-file
      append               append existing do-file
      nodefine             create do-file but do not define value labels
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

Description

    txtlabdef defines value labels from a plain text (ASCII) file. The first
    line of a value label in the text file must be a valid value label name.
    Each line following must start with one integer number followed by text.
    The next line that does not start with an integer number marks the
    beginning of a new value label. Optionally a do-file is created. Existing
    value labels will be modified.

    Remarks: integer numbers may be separated from text by ":", "=", "-",
    ".", ",", space (" ") or horizontal tab stop in the (plain) text file.
    These separators may be mixed between value labels and even within one
    value label. There is no need for double quotes, since everything
    following the integer number on the same line in the ASCII file is
    interpreted as text. In fact all double quotes are removed from the
    content in filename.


Options

        +---------+
    ----+ Options +----------------------------------------------------------

    quotes specifies that double quotes are not to be removed from content in
        filename. If text in value labels contains double quotes, use quotes
        to make sure they are not removed. Default is to remove all double
        quotes.

    remove(str) removes str from content in filename. str is ["]string["]
        [["][string]["]][...].

    start(#) specifies that value labels in the ASCII (plain text) file start
        at line #. Lines 1 to # in filename are ignored.

    stop(#) specifies that value labels in the ASCII (plain text) file end at
        line #. Lines in filename following # are ignored.

    replace replaces the do-file, if it already exists. May only be specified
        if dofile is also specified.

    append specifies that an existing do-file is appended. May only be
        specified if dofile is also specified.

    nodefine does not define value labels, but only "translates" the ASCII
        file and creates a do-file. May only be specified if dofile is also
        specified.

Examples

    Define value labels form the ASCII file example.txt.

        . type example.txt ,asis
        yesno

        0 no
        "1 yes"
        2

        agree
        1: strongly disagre
        2: disagree
        3: undecided
        4: agree
        5: strongly agree 


        fre

        1.      once a year
        2:once a week
        3 - once a day 

        . txtlabdef mydo using c:/ado/example.txt
        file mydo.do saved
        
        . label list
        fre:
                   1 once a year
                   2 once a week
                   3 once a day
        agree:
                   1 strongly disagree
                   2 disagree
                   3 undecided
                   4 agree
                   5 strongly agree
        yesno:
                   0 no
                   1 yes
                   2 

        . type mydo.do ,asis
        /*value labels from c:/ado/example.txt
        created 15 Jan 2011 16:47:44*/

        label define yesno 0 "no" ,modify
        label define yesno 1 "yes" ,modify
        label define yesno 2 "" ,modify

        label define agree 1 "strongly disagree" ,modify
        label define agree 2 "disagree" ,modify
        label define agree 3 "undecided" ,modify
        label define agree 4 "agree" ,modify
        label define agree 5 "strongly agree" ,modify

        label define fre 1 "once a year" ,modify
        label define fre 2 "once a week" ,modify
        label define fre 3 "once a day" ,modify

    Example 2. The ASCII file example2.txt contains some text and value
    labels.

        . type example2.txt ,asis
        This file demonstrates how txtlabdef handles information in a text file
> .

        This is the third line and it contains number 1.
        The integer value 1 in the line above is ignored because the line does 
        not start with an integer number.
        Since the following line starts with the integer number
        2, txtlabdef will interpret "Since" in line 6 (above) 
        as a value label name and everything following number 2 in line 7, 
        will be interpreted as text associated with number 2.

        Now we will define a value label, starting with a value label name.
        labelname
        1 strongly agree
        2 agree
        3 undecided
        4 disagree
        5 strongly disagree

        Note that txtlabdef will create the value label "labelname". In fact, i
> f 
        all lines in the ASCII file start with valid (value label) names or an 
        integer number, txtlabdef will find the value labels in the plain text 
> and 
        will not terminate.
 
        The problem in this very text file is, that the value label "Since" wil
> l 
        also be created. To prevent txtlabdef from doing so, specifiy

        . txtlabdef using example2.txt ,start(12) stop(17)

        That's the end of example2.txt.
        
        . txtlabdef using example2.txt

        . label list
        labelname:
                   1 strongly agree
                   2 agree
                   3 undecided
                   4 disagree
                   5 strongly disagree
        Since:
                   2 txtlabdef will interpret Since in line 6 (above)

        . clear

        . txtlabdef using example2.txt ,start(12) stop(17)

        . label list
        labelname:
                   1 strongly agree
                   2 agree
                   3 undecided
                   4 disagree
                   5 strongly disagree


Saved results

    txtlabdef saves the following in r():

    Macros
      r(labelnames)        value label names


Acknowledgments

    The name txtlabdef is in line with varlabdef by Roger Newson.

Author

    Daniel Klein, University of Bamberg, klein.daniel.81@gmail.com

Also see

    Online: label, file
    if installed: varlabdef