# Identification: Error message

**URL:** <https://forum.dynare.org/t/identification-error-message/2859>\
**Category:** Dynare help (legacy posts)\
**Created:** [30 November 2012 12:55 UTC](https://forum.dynare.org/t/identification-error-message/2859 "2012-11-30T12:55:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Niklas](https://forum.dynare.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/34f0e0/32.png) [@Niklas](https://forum.dynare.org/u/Niklas)\
**Post date:** [30 November 2012 12:55 UTC](https://forum.dynare.org/t/identification-error-message/2859/1 "2012-11-30T12:55:31Z")

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Hello,

I am getting the following error message when using the command “identification”:

[quote]Attempted to access idx(1); index out of bounds because numel(idx)=0.

Error in vnorm (line 72)  
dim = idx(1);

Error in identification\_analysis (line 238)  
siLREnorm = vnorm(quant).\*normaliz1(offset+1:end);

Error in dynare\_identification (line 259)  
[idehess\_point, idemoments\_point, idemodel\_point, idelre\_point, derivatives\_info\_point] = …

Error in Error\_message (line 199)  
dynare\_identification(options\_ident);

Error in dynare (line 120)  
evalin(‘base’,fname) ;  
[/quote]

I have attached the mod-file and the data. Does anyone know what the problem is?

I am thankful for any help,  
regards,  
Niklas  
[data.zip](https://forum.dynare.org/uploads/default/original/2X/7/7b22a8308ff8c362c2e33eb507f1343a9eb33ba0.zip) (9.54 KB)  
[Error\_message.mod](https://forum.dynare.org/uploads/default/original/2X/5/52b8530781ecde5e10f304aec9503752c2f3dc97.mod) (1.38 KB)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Niklas](https://forum.dynare.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/34f0e0/32.png) [@Niklas](https://forum.dynare.org/u/Niklas)\
**Post date:** [3 December 2012 16:55 UTC](https://forum.dynare.org/t/identification-error-message/2859/2 "2012-12-03T16:55:45Z")

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Hello,

I boiled down the problem to a simple AR(1) process and still get the same error message as above. Yet, I still don’t know why. There must be an obvious reason. Maybe someone can see the problem.  
Here the mod.file:

[code]var a;  
varexo e;

parameters rho a\_ss;  
rho = 0.9;  
a\_ss = 1;

model;  
a=(1-rho)_a\_ss+rho_a(-1)+e;  
end;

initval;  
a=a\_ss;  
end;

steady;  
check;

shocks;  
var e = 1;  
end;

stoch\_simul(order = 1, irf=20);

estimated\_params;  
rho, 0.8, beta\_pdf, 0.8, 0.1;  
end;

varobs a;

identification;[/code]

Any help would be highly appreciated,  
Regards,  
Niklas

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**Author:** ![rattoma](https://forum.dynare.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/7ba0ec/32.png) [@rattoma](https://forum.dynare.org/u/rattoma)\
**Post date:** [4 December 2012 07:19 UTC](https://forum.dynare.org/t/identification-error-message/2859/3 "2012-12-04T07:19:56Z")

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Hi,

I am fixing the bug and let you know asap  
Marco

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**Author:** ![Niklas](https://forum.dynare.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/34f0e0/32.png) [@Niklas](https://forum.dynare.org/u/Niklas)\
**Post date:** [4 December 2012 13:29 UTC](https://forum.dynare.org/t/identification-error-message/2859/4 "2012-12-04T13:29:19Z")

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Dear Marco,

thank you very much!

Maybe the following observation might help: If I simply add the AR(1) process _a=(1-rho)a\_ss+rhoa(-1)+e_ to e.g. your test mod.file Kim(2003) as an additional line, but without observing the variable _a_, the identification tolbox correctly reports that the smoothing paramater cannot be identified. Once I comment out the model Kim(2003), I get the error message from above again, although the model and the AR(1) process were not related to each other.

Best,  
Niklas

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**Author:** ![rattoma](https://forum.dynare.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/7ba0ec/32.png) [@rattoma](https://forum.dynare.org/u/rattoma)\
**Post date:** [5 December 2012 11:19 UTC](https://forum.dynare.org/t/identification-error-message/2859/5 "2012-12-05T11:19:21Z")

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Hi there,

I have fixed the bug. This happens when there is only one estimated parameter.  
The bug fix is pushed to the git repository, but I also attach the relevant files to be upodated in the matlab folder for version 4.3.1. Please tell me if you have further problems.

Marco  
[identification\_analysis.m](https://forum.dynare.org/uploads/default/original/2X/7/70ee09a59c0dbec24c1adead8b97a72ce704cbc1.m) (14.3 KB)  
[getJJ.m](https://forum.dynare.org/uploads/default/original/2X/e/e8794ca9a78a2da1c67578b7c6d0f2d3a1aeeb5b.m) (5.03 KB)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Niklas](https://forum.dynare.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/34f0e0/32.png) [@Niklas](https://forum.dynare.org/u/Niklas)\
**Post date:** [6 December 2012 21:58 UTC](https://forum.dynare.org/t/identification-error-message/2859/6 "2012-12-06T21:58:38Z")

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Dear Marco,

thank you very much for your help!  
Is is it right that I just have to replace the old identification\_analysis.m and getJJ.m files in my dynare 4.3.1\matlab folder to fix the bug? I did this, but I still get the same error message. I also downloaded and installed version 4.3.1 again and still get the same error message.

Best,  
Niklas

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**Author:** ![rattoma](https://forum.dynare.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/7ba0ec/32.png) [@rattoma](https://forum.dynare.org/u/rattoma)\
**Post date:** [7 December 2012 07:16 UTC](https://forum.dynare.org/t/identification-error-message/2859/7 "2012-12-07T07:16:49Z")

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Indeed you should replace the routines in the distribution package of 4.3.1 with the ones I sent.  
My guess is that you have multiple dynare versions in your path so that matlab is using an older set of routines?  
Anyhow the routines I attached work with the example you sent me.

best  
Marco