Use Pass-In Variable as Covariate

Question

I am trying to use a pass-in variable as a _categorical_ covariate, but when I go to HB estimation --> covariates, it is only available as continuous.  I can't change continuous to categorical.  (It's a "Whole Number" pass in variable.)  I am using 8.4.4.  Not sure if it's a bug preventing me from changing it to categorical or if it's just functionality that was never added.

The only way I can seem to do it now is to set up filters for all 6 codes in my pass in variable and then rebuild a segment variable based on those 6 filters.  Basically, it's breaking it down into its parts and then rebuilding it.

If there is no other way to do this, then I would like to please request this as a feature.  Please allow us to change pass-in variables from continuous to categorical.

Thanks!

Answer 1

This feature isn't available directly, but you can create a segment variable and define the categories through filters.  Or you could also copy the data into a new merged variable and use that variable to do your covariates.

The real issue is that we require category labels for categorical variables and there is no mechanism to define these for pass-in variables at the moment.

Let us know if you have any further questions.

Thanks,
Jon

Comments

Thanks Jon.  I appreciate some insight into the complication of just simply adding this as a new feature, too!  That makes sense.