*! version 1.2  15aug2000 Holmes
program define bign
	version 5.0
	local options "Name(string) Replace Sort(string)"
	local varlist "required existing min(1)"
	parse "`*'"
	if "`name'"=="" {
		local name="bign"
		}
	if "`replace'"~="" {
		capture drop `name'
		}
	confirm new variable `name'
	sort `varlist' `sort'
	qui by `varlist': gen `name'=_N
	label var `name' "by: `varlist'"
end