Stata tip: collapse dataset while preserving variable and value labels

When I use the collapse command, I loose the variable and value labels associated with my variables. The following program does everything that the collapse command does, but preserves the variable and value labels. It also has an option to refrain from putting the stat in the variable label.

Usage:

collapseandpreserve hdff=zarpl time_id (last) obraz wouer=soc_st, by(hh_code resp) o

Program:

program define collapseandpreserve

    // Written by Shafique Jamal (shafique.jamal@gmail.com).
    // This will collapse the dataset and preserve the variable and value labels. The syntax for using this is just like with the collapse command.
    // There is one additional optional option: show stat. If you add this option to the command (collapseandperserve ... ,by(...) omitstatfromvarlabel
    //    then it will not show the statistic (i.e. (fist), (mean), (last), etc.) in the variable label
   
    syntax anything(id="variable and values" name=arguments equalok), by(string asis) [cw fast Omitstatfromvarlabel]
    version 9.1
   
    // save all the value labels
    tempfile tf
    label save using `"`tf'"', replace
   
    // get the list of variables to be collapse, and keep track of the value label - variable correspondence
    tempname precollapse_listofvars
    tempname postcollapse_listofvars
    tempname listofvaluelabels
    tempname valuelabelname
    tempname stat
    tempname oldvarname
    tempname newvarname
    local `stat' "(mean)"
    foreach a of local arguments {
        di `"word: `a'"'
        if (regexm(`"`a'"',"^\(.*\)$")) { // if there is something like (first), (mean), etc.
            local `stat' = `"`a'"'   
        }
        else { // This is a variable. Store the associated variable label and value label name
           
            // What if there is an = in the term? then need two list of variables: a precollapse list and a postcollapse list
            if (regexm(`"`a'"',"^(.*)=(.*)$")) {
                // di "Regex match!"
                local `oldvarname' = regexs(2)
                // di "oldvarname: ``oldvarname''"
                local `newvarname' = regexs(1)
                // di "newvarname: ``newvarname''"
            }
            else {
                // di "NO regex match!"
                local `oldvarname' `"`a'"'
                // di "oldvarname: ``oldvarname''"
                local `newvarname' `"`a'"'
                // di "newvarname: ``newvarname''"
            }
           
            local `precollapse_listofvars'   `"``precollapse_listofvars'' ``oldvarname''"'
            local `postcollapse_listofvars'   `"``postcollapse_listofvars'' ``newvarname''"'
            local `valuelabelname' : value label ``oldvarname''
            tempname vl_``newvarname''
            local `vl_``newvarname''' : variable label ``oldvarname''
            if (`"``vl_``newvarname''''"' == `""') {
                local `vl_``newvarname''' `"``newvarname''"'
            }
            di `"omitstatfromvarlabel = `omitstatfromvarlabel'"'
            if (`"`omitstatfromvarlabel'"'==`""') {
                local `vl_``newvarname''' `"``stat'' ``vl_``newvarname''''"'
                di "not omitting"
            }
            else {
                local `vl_``newvarname''' `"``vl_``newvarname''''"'
                di "omitting"
            }
           
            if (`"``valuelabelname''"' == `""') { // variable has no value label
                local `listofvaluelabels' `"``listofvaluelabels'' ."'
            }
            else {
                local `listofvaluelabels' `"``listofvaluelabels'' ``valuelabelname''"'
            }
        }
    }
   
    collapse `arguments', by(`by') `cw' `fast'
    // macro list
   
    // retrieve the valuelabels
    qui do `"`tf'"'
   
    // reapply the variable labels and the value labels
    tempname count
    local `count' = 0
    di "------------------------------------------------"
    foreach var of local `postcollapse_listofvars' {
        di `"var: `var'"'
        di `"its variable label: ``vl_`var'''"'
        // reapply the variable labels
        local `count' = ``count'' + 1
        label var `var' `"``vl_`var'''"'
       
        // reapply the value labels
        local `valuelabelname' : word ``count'' of ``listofvaluelabels''
        if (`"``valuelabelname''"' != `"."') {
            label values `var' ``valuelabelname''
        }
    }
end program