I have a data file with more than 100 variables.

I would like to automatically rename these variables.

Old name: HEALTH_AU_NUM.2021

New name: NAT_21_HEALTH_AU_NUM.

I wonder if there is a loop that I can use to do so?

What is the exact renaming rule?

You could put all these in one RENAME VARIABLES command, but you would have to create it manually. If you have a name pattern for old and new, I can produce a little bit of code to do this.

Thank you for replaying.

All variables have the same pattern

(CATEGORY_XX_XXX.YEAR)

HEALTH_AU_NUM.2021 = NAT_21_HEALTH_AU_NUM

I was thinking,

1. Select everything before the '.' (HEALTH_AU_NUM) and save it as new1
2. select everything after the '.' (2021) and trim it to just keep the last 2 digits new2=21
3. then create new3=concatenate("NAT_", "new2", "_", "new1").
4. and then rename variable oldvarname = new3.

I do not how to properly execute this.

Thank you.

I will look at this tomorrow

Thank you.

I'm not sure I've got exactly what you want, but I have some code. Send me an email (jkpeckSupport Member), and I'll send it back to you. This site might mess up the formatting.