{smcl}
{hi:help sortobs}
{hline}
{title:Title}

{p 4 4 2}{cmd:sortobs} {hline 2} Sort observations into a specified order.

{title:Syntax}

{p 4 4 2}Sort observations according to a variable's specific values

{p 8 14 2}{cmd:sortobs} {it:varname} , {cmdab:val:ues(}{it:stringlist}{cmd:)} [{cmd:first} {cmd:last} {cmd:before(}{it:string}{cmd:)} {cmd:after(}{it:string}{cmd:)}]

{p 4 4 2}Sort observations by observation numbers

{p 8 14 2}{cmd:sortobs} , {cmdab:val:ues(}{it:numlist}{cmd:)} [{cmd:first} {cmd:last} {cmd:before(}{it:#}{cmd:)} {cmd:after(}{it:#}{cmd:)}]

{p 4 4 2}where

{p 8 14 2}{it:stringlist} is a list of (potentially quoted) strings separated by spaces, and

{p 8 14 2}{it: numlist} is a list of numbers with blanks or commas in between (see {help numlist:[U] numlist} for details).


{title:Description}

{p 4 4 2}{cmd:sortobs} relocates observations by specifying either (1) a variable's specific values or (2) observation numbers.  
Observations that are not specified in the command retain their original, respective sort orders.


{title:Options}

{p 4 8 2}
{cmd:values()} specifies the observations to be relocated. They are relocated in the order they are specified. The user can specify
the observations by observation number (see example 1) or by observation contents (see example 2).


{p 4 8 2}
{cmd:first} shifts the specified observations to the beginning of the dataset. This is the default.


{p 4 8 2}
{cmd:last} shifts the specified observations to the end of the dataset.


{p 4 8 2}
{cmd:before()} shifts the specified observations before a particular row. The row can be specified by observation number or observation contents.


{p 4 8 2}
{cmd:after()} shifts the specified observations after a particular row. The row can be specified by observation number or observation contents (see example 3).


{title:Examples}

{p 4 4 2}1. Reverse the order of the first three observations:

{col 8}{cmd:. {stata sysuse auto.dta, clear}}

{col 8}{cmd:. {stata list in 1/5}}

{col 8}{cmd:. {stata sortobs, values(3 2 1)}}

{col 8}{cmd:. {stata list in 1/5}}


{p 4 4 2}2. Shift two observations to the end of the dataset:

{col 8}{cmd:. {stata sysuse auto.dta, clear}}

{col 8}{cmd:. {stata keep in 1/5}}

{col 8}{cmd:. {stata list in 1/5}}

{col 8}{cmd:. {stata sortobs make, values("AMC Pacer" "AMC Spirit") last}}

{col 8}{cmd:. {stata list in 1/5}}


{p 4 4 2}3. Move an observation to the middle of the dataset

{col 8}{cmd:. {stata sysuse auto.dta, clear}}

{col 8}{cmd:. {stata keep in 1/5}}

{col 8}{cmd:. {stata list in 1/5}}

{col 8}{cmd:. {stata sortobs make, values("Buick Electra") after("AMC Pacer")}}

{col 8}{cmd:. {stata list in 1/5}}


{title:Author}

{p 4 4 2}Julian Reif, University of Illinois

{p 4 4 2}jreif@illinos.edu


{title:Also see}

{p 4 4 2}
{help sort:sort},
{help gsort:gsort}

