topic Re: write shorthand code in sas in SAS Data Management

write shorthand code in sas

elopomorph — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 14:59:24 GMT

I want to tell SAS to read columns 1 to 500. I could tell it to read COL1 COL2 COL3 ... COL500 but that would take forever.

Here is a more detailed example

VAR COL1 COL2 COL3 COL4 COL5 COL6 COL7 ............................................ COL500

Is there a shorter way to tell SAS to read the columns?

Re: write shorthand code in sas

RW9 — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 15:05:35 GMT

Yes several:

data want;

set have;

keep=col1-col500;

/* Or */

keep=col:;

/* Or */

array col{500};

do i=1 to 500;

...;

end;

run;

Re: write shorthand code in sas

ballardw — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 15:47:31 GMT

And if you are reading an external file you can use a range list on the input statement:

input var1 col1-col500;

input var1 col001 - col500;

Re: write shorthand code in sas

elopomorph — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 17:35:09 GMT

very helpful. Thanks!

Re: write shorthand code in sas

AnnaBrown — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 19:52:44 GMT

Hi elopomorph,

I'm glad you found some useful info! If one of the replies was the exact solution to your problem, can you "Accept it as a solution"? Or if one was particularly helpful, feel free to "Like" it. This will help other community members who may run into the same issue know what worked.

Thanks!

Anna