@mean and @sum

[paues]

While it is possible to specify a sample period for when using @mean and @sum to calculate a series (below)...

Code: Select all

series mySeries=1
series tmp2=@sum(mySeries,"2005 2005")
series tmp2=@mean(mySeries,"2005 2005")

... it does not seem to be possible to do so when calculating a control variable or a scalar.

Code: Select all

!tmp3=@sum(mySeries,"2005 2005")
!tmp4=@mean(mySeries,"2005 2005")
scalar tmp5=@sum(mySeries,"2005 2005")
scalar tmp6=@mean(mySeries,"2005 2005")

I am using EViews 8 Enterprise Edition (Aug 1 2013 build).

[EViews Gareth]

That's correct, and not really a bug so much as a missing feature

[paues]

Even though I see your point , the command reference specifies that @mean and @sum take a sample as their second argument. Is the feature coming up? (While it is easy to code by oneself it would be very helpful.)

[EViews Gareth]

Doubtful. There are two expression evaluaters in EViews, those that return series and those that return matrix/scalars. The two are completely separate. The first understands about samples, the other (since matrices/scalars don't depend on workfile structure) does not. For a similar reason you can't do:

Code: Select all

scalar p = @max(@movav(x,2))


but you can do:

Code: Select all

series p = @max(@movav(x,2))


because the series evaluater understands @movav, but the matrix one doesn't.

Yes this is unfortunate. Yes it is a pain. Yes we should fix it. Unfortunately it requires re-writing most of EViews