[Gretl-devel] Re: Probably a bug in stringify()

Am 01.11.2020 um 22:44 schrieb Allin Cottrell: > On Sun, 1 Nov 2020, Sven Schreiber wrote: > >> Am 01.11.2020 um 21:49 schrieb Allin Cottrell: > >> Then I could do >>> >>> stringify(x, S, <some option>) >>> >>> and I'd get a series with m distinct values, where m is the number of >>> distinct strings in S, with numeric codes set to match. Basically >>> it's a >>> third way to create a string-valued series, besides importation from a >>> suitable file and stringification of a series that already holds >>> suitable numeric codes. >> >> Perhaps this could be achieved without an extra option - again, the doc >> says all positive integers for normal use; so perhaps if x is a >> zero-valued series this could be taken to mean this alternative usage. > > Good idea. We could do that if we reckon it's worthwhile. Any takers for > the idea? Well, basically if I understand correctly some way is wanted to create a string-valued series without reading in a file. Then I guess the most straightforward syntax approach would be to allow a strings array directly in a genr-type context, like this: series s = defarray("hey", "ho", "aha") which would work if $nobs equals the length of the array, otherwise provoke an error just like in a matrix-based context. No need to complicate things (from the user's point of view) by going through an artificial stringify function call. This feels natural to have when string-valued series are supported, but OTOH the support in gretl has been growing gradually, so doesn't necessarily have to be rushed.

series s = defarray("hey", "ho", "aha")