Labels and metadata

Start with the expanded example for each command. Open the variants for options and alternative R approaches. Read the qualifications before adapting the code.

`char`

Inspect custom column characteristics

Stata

char list x[]

R Package:base

attributes(data$x)

Returns all R attributes, including any custom metadata.

Stata reference · R reference

Store a custom column characteristic

Stata

char x[source] "questionnaire"

R Package:base

attr(data$x,'source') <- 'questionnaire'

R attributes serve as local metadata; many transformations do not preserve arbitrary attributes.

Stata reference · R reference

`decode`

Decode numeric value labels to text

Stata

decode x, generate(text)

R Package:haven

data$text <- as.character(haven::as_factor(data$x))

Stata reference · R reference

`encode`

Encode nonempty categories in sorted order

Stata

encode s, generate(code)

R Package:base

data$code <- as.integer(factor(data$s,levels=sort(unique(data$s[!is.na(data$s)&data$s!='']))))

Differs from Stata Creates integer codes only. Add a labelled vector or keep the factor to retain category labels; collation is locale-dependent.

Stata reference · R reference

`label`

Attach a dataset label

Stata

label data "Research sample"

R Package:base

attr(data,'label') <- 'Research sample'

Fixed workflow example; adapt the object and column names together.

Stata reference · R reference

6 more examples and alternatives

Define a reusable value-label mapping

Stata

label define yesno 1 "No" 2 "Yes"

R Package:base

yesno <- c(No=1,Yes=2)

R stores the mapping as a named vector; attach it separately to each labelled column.

Stata reference · R reference

Read a column’s value-label mapping

Stata

label list yesno

R Package:base

attr(data$x,'labels')

Fixed workflow example; adapt the object and column names together.

Stata reference · R reference

Remove value labels while preserving numeric values

Stata

label values x

R Package:haven

data$x <- haven::zap_labels(data$x)

Stata reference · R reference

Attach a numeric value-label dictionary

Stata

label values x yesno

R Package:haven

data$x <- haven::labelled(data$x,labels=yesno)

Stata reference · R reference

Remove a variable label

Stata

label variable x ""

R Package:base

attr(data$x,'label') <- NULL

Stata reference · R reference

Attach a descriptive variable label

Stata

label variable x "Response"

R Package:base

attr(data$x,'label') <- 'Response'

Stata reference · R reference

`labelbook`

Inspect value-label dictionaries by column

Stata

labelbook

R Package:base

lapply(data,function(z) attr(z,'labels'))

Differs from Stata Lists attached dictionaries; does not reproduce Stata’s full multilingual label audit.

Stata reference · R reference

`labmask`

Assign existing text values as numeric value labels

Stata

labmask code, values(text)

R Package:haven

dictionary <- unique(data[c('code','text')]); stopifnot(!anyDuplicated(dictionary$code)); data$code <- haven::labelled(data$code,stats::setNames(dictionary$code,dictionary$text))

Differs from Stata Requires a unique text label per observed numeric code; this preserves supplied numeric codes rather than alphabetically encoding text.

Stata reference · R reference

`notes`

Read notes attached to a column

Stata

notes list x

R Package:base

attr(data$x,'notes')

Reads a custom R notes attribute; preservation depends on subsequent transformations.

Stata reference · R reference

1 more examples and alternatives

Attach a text note to a column

Stata

notes x: Measured at baseline

R Package:base

attr(data$x,'notes') <- 'Measured at baseline'

R attribute workflow; numbered Stata note management is not recreated.

Stata reference · R reference

`numlabel`

Prefix each label with its numeric code

Stata

numlabel, add

R Package:base

labs <- attr(data$x,'labels'); names(labs) <- paste0(unname(labs),'. ',names(labs)); attr(data$x,'labels') <- labs

Fixed workflow example; adapt the object and column names together.

Stata reference · R reference

Remove a known numeric-code label prefix

Stata

numlabel, remove

R Package:base

labs <- attr(data$x,'labels'); names(labs) <- sub('^[0-9]+[.] ','',names(labs)); attr(data$x,'labels') <- labs

Differs from Stata Targets the demonstrated positive-integer prefix format; other masks require a matching pattern.

Stata reference · R reference

`uselabel`

Make a value-label dictionary table

Stata

uselabel using sample.dta, clear

R Package:base

labs <- attr(data$x,'labels'); dictionary <- data.frame(lname='x',value=unname(labs),label=names(labs),trunc=0L)

Uses an already imported labelled column. R has no separate Stata label-definition name; lname uses the column name.

Stata reference · R reference