^for^ [list1 [^\^list2 [^\^list3 ... [^\^list0]]] ... ] [^,^ ^a^ny ^l^type^(^typelist^)^ ^noh^eader ^nos^top ^p^ause ^c^mdsep^(^sep_char^) > ^ ^ma^cro^(^macro_string^)^ ^ms^tub^(^stub^)^ ^q^uote^(^quote_char^)^ ]^: > ^ stata_cmd1 [ ^//^ stata_cmd2 [ ^//^ stata_cmd3... ]]
^for211^ [list1 [^\^list2 [^\^list3 ... [^\^list0]]] ... ] [^,^ ^a^ny ^l^type^(^typelist^)^ ^noh^eader ^nos^top ^p^ause ^c^mdsep^(^sep_char^) > ^ ^ma^cro^(^macro_string^)^ ^ms^tub^(^stub^)^ ^n^umeric ^q^uote^(^quote_c > har^)^ ]^:^ stata_cmd1 [ ^//^ stata_cmd2 [ ^//^ stata_cmd3... ]]
Description - -----------
^for^ in Stata 5 includes various features not documented for various reasons either in the on-line help or in the manual. These include the use of multiple commands and options for controlling the use of quotation marks and of macros, which are documented here.
In addition, ^for211^ includes a new ^numeric^ option and it allows the use of multiple pairs of quotes within each stata_cmd.
Undocumented features - ---------------------
^for^ executes stata_cmd1, stata_cmd2, ... repeatedly, substituting each member of list1 for ^@@1^ in stata_cmd1, stata_cmd2, ... , substituting each member of list2 (if given) for ^@@2^ in stata_cmd1, stata_cmd2, ..., and so on until all list members have been processed.
Up to 10 lists are allowed. The tenth list is referred to as ^@@0^ (not ^@@10^).
^for^ may also be used without specifying list1, list2, ... in order to execute stata_cmd1, stata_cmd2, ... exactly once. In this case the ^@@1^, ^@@2^ ... dummy arguments are not required.
Undocumented options - --------------------
^any^ is a synonym for ^ltype(any)^.
^cmdsep(^sep_char^)^ determines the PAIR of characters which separate different stata_cmds. sep_char may be any character except backslash, comma, space. Don't forget that TWO sep_chars are used to separate stata_cmds. Default sep_char: forward-slash (^/^).
^macro(^macro_string^)^, ^mstub(^stub^)^: when macro_string is found in a stata_cmd, ^for^ substitutes ^\$^stub and the character which immediately follows macro_string. This feature allows you to get access to the contents of macros such as ^$S_1^ which are left behind by stata_cmds. The default macro_string is ^%%^; the default stub is ^S_^. See also Remarks.
^numeric^ (in ^for211^) is a synonym for ^ltype(numeric)^.
^quote(^quote_char^)^ in ^for^ allows you to insert one pair (and no more) of quotation marks ("") around part of a stata_cmd. This is useful, for example, when setting up variable labels. quote_char must be any character not used in any of the stata_cmds. There is no default quote_char; it must be specified.
^quote(^quote_char^)^ in ^for211^ allows you to insert one or more pairs of quotation marks ("") around part of a stata_cmd. This is useful, for example, when setting up variable labels. quote_char must be any character not used in any of the stata_cmds. There is no default quote_char; it must be specified.
Remarks - -------
You may occasionally wish to include a comma or a colon in a list of type ^any^. To avoid being mistaken for part of the syntax of the ^for^ command itself, such characters must be repeated, so ^::^ is translated to ^:^ and ^,,^ to ^,^. The exception is that ^::^ and ^,,^ may not be followed by space(s), as those space(s) will be removed. This is a very minor restriction.
Hash characters (^#^) in stata_cmds (and in list items) are converted to spaces and may therefore be used to produce literal spaces. Multiple actual spaces in stata_cmds are reduced to single spaces. A minor limitation of ^for^ is that `real' ^#^s are not available.
Although you can access the contents of a global macro, say ^$S_1^, by referring to it as ^%%1^ in a stata_cmd, you cannot redefine its contents this way. Thus a command like
. ^for^ <stuff> ^global %%1 = ^<value>
will probably produce a syntax error. Stata will actually see
. ^global $S_1 = ^<value>
and will try to assign <value> to a macro called ^$$S_1^. Instead you should enter
. ^for^ <stuff> ^global S_1 = ^<value>
to get the expected result.
Author - ------
Patrick Royston <proyston@@rpms.ac.uk>
(Help file revised slightly by Nick Cox <n.j.cox@@durham.ac.uk>)
Also see - --------
On-line: help for @for@ STB: ip8.1 (STB-30)