set verbose off
nulldata 200
set seed 8118

# generate simulated data from a N(3,4) variate
series x = normal(3,2)

# set starting values
scalar m = 0
scalar s2 = 1

# set iteration limit to a ridiculously low value
set bfgs_maxiter 10 

# perform ML estimation; note the "catch" modifier
catch mle loglik = -0.5* (log(2*$pi) + log(s2) + e2/s2)
    series e2 = (x - m)^2
    params m s2
end mle --quiet

# grab the error and proceed as needed
err = $error
if err
    printf "Not converged! (m = %g, s2 = %g)\n", m, s2
else
    printf "Converged after %d iterations\n", $model.grcount
    cs = $coeff ~ sqrt(diag($vcv))
    pn = "m s2"
    modprint cs pn
endif