Code testing

Example 5: Merging individual files across waves into long format 

To match individual level files across two waves into a long format do the following (for more waves add wave specific prefix in the foreach statement): 

foreach w in a b { 
    // open the individual level file 
    use pidp `w’_jbhas using `w’_indresp_ip, clear 
    // drop the wave prefix from all variables 
    renpfix `w’_ 
    // create a wave variable 
    gen wave=strpos(“ab”, “`w’”)  
    // save one file for each wave 
    save temp`w’, replace 
} 
 
// open the file for the first wave (wave a_) 
use tempa, clear 
foreach w in b { 
    // append the files for second wave onwards 
    append using temp`w’  
} 

// save the long file 
save final5, replace   
// erase temporary files 
foreach w in a b { 
    erase temp`w’.dta  
} 
 

Example 6: Merging individual files across waves into wide format 

The following code shows how toTo match individual level files across two waves into a wide format. do the following (for The code can be adapted to handle more waves by adding wave specific prefixes in the foreach statement): 

use pidp a_jbhas using a_indresp_ip, clear 
sort pidp 
save temp, replace 
foreach w in b { 
    use pidp `w’_jbhas using `w’_indresp_ip, clear 
    sort pidp 
    merge 1:1 pidp using temp 
    drop _merge  
    sort pidp 
    save temp, replace 
} 
save final6, replace  
erase temp.dta