when creating a new panel dataset from the GUI, gretl wants to know N*T first. Actually, for something like N = 827 and T = 48 this isn't so easy to tell, need to grab pencil and paper or a calculator first. Wouldn't it be possible if gretl asked separately for N and T? The default settings in the dialog could be 1 for both, and leaving one of them at 1 would obviously yield a cross section or a time series. The new dialog could also contain hints like "leave at 1 for time series" or something like that.

On Tue, 10 Aug 2021, Sven Schreiber wrote: > Am 22.07.2021 um 17:20 schrieb Sven Schreiber: >> when creating a new panel dataset from the GUI, gretl wants to know N*T >> first. Actually, for something like N = 827 and T = 48 this isn't so >> easy to tell, need to grab pencil and paper or a calculator first. >> >> Wouldn't it be possible if gretl asked separately for N and T? The >> default settings in the dialog could be 1 for both, and leaving one of >> them at 1 would obviously yield a cross section or a time series. The >> new dialog could also contain hints like "leave at 1 for time series" or >> something like that. >> > Let me do a "ping" on this question.... There's a calculator on the gretl toolbar, but anyway... If we're going to ask for N and T we'd have to swap the order of the first two dialogs that come up -- that is, show the one for selecting x-section, time-series or panel first -- otherwise it would be quite confusing. Either that or combine the two into a more complex dialog. Obviously feasible, and not hugely onerous, but right before a release that already has some fairly complicated things to resolve is not the ideal time for this particular ping ;-)