{smcl} {* 01oct2009}{...} {cmd:help autofmt} {hline} {title:Title} {p2colset 5 16 20 2}{...} {p2col :{hi: autofmt} {hline 2}}automatic formating of a significant number of digits{p_end} {marker s_Syntax} {title:Syntax} {p 4 4 6} {cmdab:autofmt}, {opt input(string)} {opt dec(#)} {opt parse(string)} {opt strict}] {marker s_Description} {title:Description} {p 4 4 6} {cmd:autofmt} provides a fast and easy way to format decimals to a significant number of digits. It will handle leading or trailing zeros. It will go into exponential format when the number is too small or too large. {p 4 4 6} The default setting is "plus-1" significant digits, meaning it will add one more digit if there is a digit to the left of decimals, i.e. 1.001 would be treated as 3-plus-1 digits. Use {opt strict} if you don't want this. {p 4 4 6} Whole numbers are left alone, as is the general practice, unless it is placed into exponential format. {marker s_Options} {title:Options} {dlgtab:Main} {p 4 12 6}{opt input(#)} a number to be formatted, can be multiple numbers.{p_end} {p 4 12 6}{opt dec(#)} a number of significant digits. The default is dec(3).{p_end} {p 4 12 6}{opt parse(string)} parse character. Only one accepted. The default is parse(" ").{p_end} {p 4 12 6}{opt strict} strict number of significant digits. Don't do plus-1 number of digits.{p_end} {marker s_0} {title:Examples} {p 4 8 6}. autofmt, input(-1.367456 -0.0000925 -0.5623 -13.5678) dec(2){p_end} {p 4 8 6}. ret list{p_end} {p 4 8 6}scalars:{p_end} {p 13 8 6} r(deci4) = 1{p_end} {p 13 8 6} r(deci3) = 2{p_end} {p 13 8 6} r(deci2) = 6{p_end} {p 13 8 6} r(deci1) = 2{p_end} {p 4 8 6}macros:{p_end} {p 11 8 6} r(output4) : "-13.6"{p_end} {p 12 8 6} r(input4) : "-13.5678"{p_end} {p 14 8 6} r(fmt4) : "1f"{p_end} {p 11 8 6} r(output3) : "-0.56"{p_end} {p 12 8 6} r(input3) : "-0.5623"{p_end} {p 14 8 6} r(fmt3) : "2f"{p_end} {p 11 8 6} r(output2) : "-0.000092"{p_end} {p 12 8 6} r(input2) : "-0.0000925"{p_end} {p 14 8 6} r(fmt2) : "6f"{p_end} {p 11 8 6} r(output1) : "-1.37"{p_end} {p 12 8 6} r(input1) : "-1.367456"{p_end} {p 14 8 6} r(fmt1) : "2f"{p_end} {title:Remarks} {p 4 12 6}Based on codes from -outreg2-.{p_end} {title:Author} {p 4 4 6}Roy Wada{p_end} {p 4 4 6}roywada@hotmail.com{p_end}