Re: [Gretl-devel] how to avoid unintentional rewriting series?

On Fri, 23 Sep 2016, oleg_komashko(a)ukr.net wrote: > Dear all, > Gretl have several possibilities for creating > of large numbers of new variables with autonames: > square(list)/ square list > list^list > dummify(discreteVar) > etc. > Below is the script to illustrate the problem > open denmark.gdt > > sq_LRM = IBO/IDE > > # Descriptive label-> IBO/IDE > > square LRM > > # Descriptive label-> = LRM squared > > series LRY_LRM = IBO > > # Descriptive label-> IBO > > list x = LRY LRM > > square(x,1) > > # Descriptive label of LRY_LRM -> LRY times LRM > > With denmark.gdt everything is obvious > But what if we work with a large data set > with hundreds of variables and hundreds of > new dummies and interactions some replacements > can be easily overlooked > I think there should be some tools to prevent > casual rewriting variables > May be a precheck function to find possible name > duplicating or rename() to rename variables having > underscore in names: this will prevent duplicating, > since all autonames contain '_' > I'll be glad for opinions First point: we have a "rename" command, and it can be used for mass-renaming of series whose names contain an underscore. Here's a simple illustration: open data4-10 list D = dataset list D print list L = logs(D) list L print loop foreach i L -q string orig = "$i" string newname = strsub(orig, "_", "") rename @orig @newname endloop list L print Second point: we do have some code in place to try to ensure that we don't overwrite existing series by the operations that create a list of new, auto-named series (we modify the auto-name to avoid collisions). I can't guarantee, offhand, that this mechanism is always employed when it should be, or if it's employed that it always works as intended. However, if we let the null hypothesis be that it always works fine, do you have evidence to the contrary? Allin _______________________________________________ Gretl-devel mailing list Gretl-devel(a)lists.wfu.edu http://lists.wfu.edu/mailman/listinfo/gretl-devel