// You can also generate variables based on random numbers. Functions are listed here:
help random

// Example
clear 
set obs 500000
// Creates a dataset with 500000 empty observations

// Standard normal distribution
gen standard_normal=rnormal()
hist standard_normal

// Normal distribution with mean==10 and sd==0.5
gen normal=rnormal(10,0.5)
hist normal

// Binomial distribution with 20 trials and success probability 0.5
gen binomial=rbinomial(20,0.5)
hist binomial 

/*
If you create random variables, or use commands which are based on random draws, 
Stata uses an algorithm to draw the random numbers. The result of the draw depends
on the start value for the algorithm. If you run the same command again, you will
get different results. To make sure that you can replicate your code, set a seed 
before the random function or command.
*/

// Let's create again the variable from the standard normal distribution
gen standard_normal2=rnormal()
br standard_normal*
// Both contain different values

set seed 31459176
gen standard_normal3 = rnormal()
// Again, different values, but now we can replicate them

set seed 31459176
gen standard_normal4 = rnormal()
br standard_normal*
// standard_normal3 and standard_normal4 are identical!

gen standard_normal5 = rnormal()
br standard_normal*
// standard_normal5 is again different - you need to set the seed directly before the variable to replicate it