help for stat2data

Title

stat2data --- Generates a Dataset of Descriptive Statistics Calculated for a List of Variables

Table of Contents

Syntax

General description of stat2data

Description of the options

Examples

Author information

Syntax

stat2data
varlist
[if] [in]
[weight], saving(filename[, suboption]) [other_options]

Main
by(varname) request statistics by variable

statistics:(statname [...]) create dataset for specified statistics

Options
generate(newvarlist) generate
newvar_1, ..., newvar_k for each requested statistic

casewise perform casewise deletion of observations

missing report statistics for missing values of by() variable

format[(%fmt)] display format for statistics;
default format is %9.0g

saving(filename[, suboption]) save dataset of statistics to file
filename; this option is required

where suboption must equal replace to overwrite filename

Description

stat2data, a wrapper for and ostensibly an extension of the Stata's official tabstat
command, generates a dataset of descriptive statistics calculated for a list of variables.
stat2data's output is different from that of collapsing a dataset using the collapse
command. In the dataset generated by stat2data, the statistics are in columns and the variables
for which the statistics were calculated are in rows. In other words, statistics become variables and
variables become observations. If the by() option is specified, the dataset will contain observations
for each variable and for each value of the by variable including missing if the missing option
is specified.

Options

by(varname) specifies that the dataset contain statistics for each unique value of varname,
which may be numeric or string.

statistics(statname [...])
specifies the statistics for which the dataset needs to be generated. If this option is
not specified, statistics(mean) is assumed.

While tabstat allows both median and q to be requested, stat2data
does not since median will be reported when q is specified.

generate(newvarlist) indicates the names of the variables to hold the statistics.
Specify a variable name for each statistic unless q is listed among the statistics
to request p25, p50, and p75.

If generate() is not specified, stat2data will form variable names by prefixing
the name for each specified statistic with an s. If q is listed among the statistics
to be calculated and generate() is specified, you need two more variable names, in addition
to those specified for each statistic listed.

format and format(%fmt) specify how the statistics
are to be formatted when the dataset is created. The default is to use a %9.0g format.

casewise see tabstat.

missing specifies that statistics for the missing values of the by() variable, if by()
is specified, be included in the dataset. The default is to exclude from the dataset the statistics for the
missing of the by()==missing group.

stat2data's options by(), statistics(), format, casewise, and missing
are apparently equivalent to those of tabstat.

saving(filename [, suboption]) specifies that
the dataset to be generated for the calculated statistics be saved to the Stata
data file filename. The dataset will be placed in the current directory.
Specifying the suboption replace will overwrite an existing filename.

If your filename (including its path) contains embedded spaces, remember
to enclose it in double quotes.

Examples

. sysuse auto, clear

. stat2data price mpg trunk weight length turn, saving(statdata) by(rep78) stat(mean sd k sk q) missing

. preserve

. use statdata, clear

. list

. restore

Author

P. Wilner Jeanty, the Kinder Institute for Urban Research/Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, Rice University, Houston, Texas.
pwjeanty@rice.edu

See also

Online: tabstat