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= Metadata = = Stata Metadata =
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== Variable Names == == Labels ==
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Variables are (re)named using the `rename` command. Since Stata 12, it offers some advanced features: Variable and value labels are defined using the '''`label`''' command.
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// rename all variables with a leading 'v' such that the 'v' is replaced with a 'V'
rename v* V*

// rename all variables with a leading 'new_' such that the prefix is stripped
rename new_* *

// rename all variables to a lowercase name
rename *, lower
label variable foo "yes or no?"
label define yesno 1 "Yes" 0 "No"
label values foo yesno
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For older versions of Stata, try these: See [[Stata/Label|here]] for more options.

Numeric values can be quickly prepended to value labels using the '''`numlabel`''' command.
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renpfix v V
renpfix new_
// TODO: how did older versions rename variable to lowercase?
}}}

----



== Labels ==

=== Variable Labels ===

{{{
label variable VAR "var"
}}}



=== Value Labels ===

Value labels are defined separately from the actual dataset.

{{{
label define LABEL 0 "No" 1 "Yes"
label define LABEL 99 "Missing", modify
label values VAR LABEL
}}}

By default, labels cannot be overwritten. The '''add''' option allows new values to be inserted into an existing label. The '''replace''' option allows existing values to be overwritten in an existing label. The '''modify''' option combines both.

Numeric values can be added to value labels using the '''numlabel''' command.

{{{
numlabel LABEL, add mask("#. ")
numlabel foo, add mask("#. ")

Stata Metadata

Stata offers human-readable variable names, variable labels, variable printing formats, and value labels.

Stata stores variable labels and value labels in a separate database. Many built-in commands seamlessly pull in metadata from that database, but there are notable exceptions.


Labels

Variable and value labels are defined using the label command.

label variable foo "yes or no?"
label define yesno 1 "Yes" 0 "No"
label values foo yesno

See here for more options.

Numeric values can be quickly prepended to value labels using the numlabel command.

numlabel foo, add mask("#. ")


Quick Tips

Stata has a number of interactive tools for examining metadata.

di _N    // number of cases
di c(k)  // number of variables


CategoryRicottone

Stata/Metadata (last edited 2025-10-24 15:58:53 by DominicRicottone)