topic Re: What's wrong with my code in SAS Programming

What's wrong with my code

devsas — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 22:25:27 GMT

Good Afternoon everyone! So, I just realized that the following code doesn't give me perfect results and Im wondering what's going on.

data All_1;
 set both_ALL ;
 if (daterange_BZ = date_range) and (total_premium_biz = total_premium) then GoodMembers = 'Yes';
 if (daterange_BZ = date_range) and (total_premium_biz ^= total_premium) then SpanMatch = 'Yes';

 run;

daterange_BZ and date_range are both character variables and total_premium_biz/ total_premium are both numeric variables. When I see the results, for some records, goodmembers should be yes (meaning both set of variables match), but the code gives instead spanmatch as yes.

Any thoughts?

Re: What's wrong with my code

Reeza — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 22:27:46 GMT

For comparing numeric variables you may want to round them before comparison. Otherwise, small values can cause issues.

Re: What's wrong with my code

devsas — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 22:29:53 GMT

Ok thanks. I will check that.

Re: What's wrong with my code

SuryaKiran — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 23:40:42 GMT

Hi,

Also look if there is a space issue with the character values. If there is a tab space after the string then both will not be same values.

data need;

str1="compare ";/* TAB space after string*/
str2="compare";
if str1=str2;
run;

If there is a space issue, use

(strip(daterange_BZ) = strip(date_range))

Re: What's wrong with my code

Astounding — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 23:46:47 GMT

Character values may appear to match, but not actually match. For example, there can be leading blanks, or even unseen characters such as carriage returns stored within a character variable.

Take an observation that you think should have matched on both sets of variables, and print the values:

put daterange_BZ $hex32. ;

put date_range $hex32.;

See whether the values printed in hex format are actually a match or not. Obviously (?), the solution varies, depending on where the problem lies.

Re: What's wrong with my code

devsas — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 16:09:15 GMT

Thanks guys. I believe the problem was simply applying the round function in the comparison. I used the following code now and it seems to give me correct solutions.

data All_1;
 set both_ALL ;
 if (daterange_BZ = date_range) and round(total_premium_biz, .1) = round(total_premium, .1) then GoodMembers = 'Yes';
 if (daterange_BZ = date_range) and round(total_premium_biz, .1) ^=  round(total_premium, .1) then SpanMatch = 'Yes';
 run;

Re: What's wrong with my code

Reeza — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 16:12:40 GMT

You should make the second one an ELSE IF, not an IF. It's better from a logic standpoint and slightly more efficient because if the first statement evaluates as true it will skip the second statement.