topic Re: If Else Error in SAS Programming

topic Re: If Else Error in SAS Programming https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455984#M115447 <P>I ran the code that <a href="https://communities.sas.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/13879">@Reeza</a> posted, which included the embedded *  ; comments, and it appeared to run perfectly.</P> <P> </P> <P>In fact, her example data showed a flaw that should be fixed in <a href="https://communities.sas.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/205856">@Amerie</a>'s code. The conditions don't trap values of 0, thus they're incorrectly recoded as 2 (i.e., representing GE 14)</P> <P> </P> <P>Art, CEO, AnalystFinder.com</P> <P> </P> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:23:59 GMT art297 2018-04-20T16:23:59Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455935#M115418 <P>Hi,</P><P> </P><P>I am becoming reacquainted with SAS after a long hiatus and am having trouble with some code. I am trying to recode a variable using the if-else statement and am continuously getting an error message. I can't seem to figure out the issue. I am working with BRFSS data. Any suggestions on what the problem may be?  Thank you in advance!</P><P> </P><PRE><CODE class=" language-sas">if POORHLTH in (77,99,.) then ActsLimited=.; else if POORHLTH=88 then ActsLimited=0; *0 Days activities limited by poor health; else if 1 le POORHLTH le 13 then ActsLimited=1; *1-13 Days activities limited by poor health; else ActsLimited=2; *14 or more days activities limited due to poor health; run;</CODE></PRE> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 14:37:51 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455935#M115418 Amerie 2018-04-20T14:37:51Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455936#M115419 <P>You're getting an error?????</P> <P> </P> <P>Would you be kind enough to share it with us? We want to see the SASLOG, or other indication of the error.</P> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 14:43:10 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455936#M115419 PaigeMiller 2018-04-20T14:43:10Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455950#M115427 <P>I am! And cannot figure out why.</P><P> </P><P>Here it is.</P><P> </P><P>ERROR 180-322: Statement is not valid or it is used out of proper order.</P><P><BR />59 if POORHLTH in (77,99,.) then ActsLimited=.;<BR />--<BR />180</P><P>ERROR 180-322: Statement is not valid or it is used out of proper order.</P><P>60 else if POORHLTH=88 then ActsLimited=0;<BR />----<BR />180</P><P>ERROR 180-322: Statement is not valid or it is used out of proper order.</P><P>61 else if 1 le POORHLTH le 13 then ActsLimited=1;<BR />----<BR />180</P><P>ERROR 180-322: Statement is not valid or it is used out of proper order.</P><P>62 else ActsLimited=2;<BR />----<BR />180</P><P>ERROR 180-322: Statement is not valid or it is used out of proper order.</P><P>63 run;</P> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 14:56:55 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455950#M115427 Amerie 2018-04-20T14:56:55Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455954#M115428 <P>Show the entire data step code.</P> <P>And best is to paste into a code box opened with the forums {I} menu icon. The message windows will reformat text moving such things as the _ character SAS places under the location of the found error.</P> <P> </P> <P>You did have this in a block of code that started with something like:</P> <P> </P> <P>Data new;</P> <P>   set old;</P> <P>   if PoorHealth in (77,99,.) then ...</P> <P> </P> <P>didn't you?</P> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 15:02:36 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455954#M115428 ballardw 2018-04-20T15:02:36Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455955#M115429 <P>You'd have to show you whole datastep. Your likely just missing a semi-colon or something on one of the lines preceding the code you showed.</P> <P> </P> <P>Art, CEO, AnalystFinder.com</P> <P> </P> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 15:04:50 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455955#M115429 art297 2018-04-20T15:04:50Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455957#M115430 <P>Data steps need to start with a data command and a dataset to output to.  Then they might have a set command or a merge command or other statements:</P> <PRE>data <dataset>; set <dataset>; or data <dataset>; merge <dataset1> <dataset2>; by <variables>; </PRE> <P>The error is telling you a command if outside a datastep is not valid.</P> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 15:07:14 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455957#M115430 RW9 2018-04-20T15:07:14Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455958#M115431 <P>Since there's nothing wrong with the code shown the error is above the section indicated in your posts.</P> <P> </P> <BLOCKQUOTE><HR /><a href="https://communities.sas.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/205856">@Amerie</a> wrote:<BR /> <P>Hi,</P> <P> </P> <P>I am becoming reacquainted with SAS after a long hiatus and am having trouble with some code. I am trying to recode a variable using the if-else statement and am continuously getting an error message. I can't seem to figure out the issue. I am working with BRFSS data. Any suggestions on what the problem may be?  Thank you in advance!</P> <P> </P> <PRE><CODE class=" language-sas">if POORHLTH in (77,99,.) then ActsLimited=.; else if POORHLTH=88 then ActsLimited=0; *0 Days activities limited by poor health; else if 1 le POORHLTH le 13 then ActsLimited=1; *1-13 Days activities limited by poor health; else ActsLimited=2; *14 or more days activities limited due to poor health; run;</CODE></PRE> <HR /></BLOCKQUOTE> <BLOCKQUOTE><HR /><a href="https://communities.sas.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/205856">@Amerie</a> wrote:<BR /> <P>Hi,</P> <P> </P> <P>I am becoming reacquainted with SAS after a long hiatus and am having trouble with some code. I am trying to recode a variable using the if-else statement and am continuously getting an error message. I can't seem to figure out the issue. I am working with BRFSS data. Any suggestions on what the problem may be?  Thank you in advance!</P> <P> </P> <PRE><CODE class=" language-sas">if POORHLTH in (77,99,.) then ActsLimited=.; else if POORHLTH=88 then ActsLimited=0; *0 Days activities limited by poor health; else if 1 le POORHLTH le 13 then ActsLimited=1; *1-13 Days activities limited by poor health; else ActsLimited=2; *14 or more days activities limited due to poor health; run;</CODE></PRE> <HR /></BLOCKQUOTE> <P> </P> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 15:08:56 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455958#M115431 Reeza 2018-04-20T15:08:56Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455959#M115432 <PRE><CODE class=" language-sas">DATA Health2018; SET php1.finalvar; /*Poor Health*/ if POORHLTH in (77,99,.) then ActsLimited=.; else if POORHLTH=88 then ActsLimited=0; *0 Days activities limited by poor health; else if 1 le POORHLTH le 13 then ActsLimited=1; *1-13 Days activities limited by poor health; else ActsLimited=2; *14 or more days activities limited due to poor health; run;</CODE></PRE> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 15:09:40 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455959#M115432 Amerie 2018-04-20T15:09:40Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455962#M115433 <P>There's nothing inherently wrong with the code written. </P> <P>Post your log with  the full error.</P> <P> </P> <P>For demonstration purposes, this shows that your code works as expected:</P> <P> </P> <PRE><CODE class=" language-sas">data demo; input poorhlth; cards; 77 99 . 88 1 2 3 4 5 6 9 13 14 0 24 23 100 ; run; DATA Health2018; SET demo; /*Poor Health*/ if POORHLTH in (77,99,.) then ActsLimited=.; else if POORHLTH=88 then ActsLimited=0; *0 Days activities limited by poor health; else if 1 le POORHLTH le 13 then ActsLimited=1; *1-13 Days activities limited by poor health; else ActsLimited=2; *14 or more days activities limited due to poor health; run;</CODE></PRE> <BLOCKQUOTE><HR /><a href="https://communities.sas.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/205856">@Amerie</a> wrote:<BR /> <PRE><CODE class=" language-sas">DATA Health2018; SET php1.finalvar; /*Poor Health*/ if POORHLTH in (77,99,.) then ActsLimited=.; else if POORHLTH=88 then ActsLimited=0; *0 Days activities limited by poor health; else if 1 le POORHLTH le 13 then ActsLimited=1; *1-13 Days activities limited by poor health; else ActsLimited=2; *14 or more days activities limited due to poor health; run;</CODE></PRE> <HR /></BLOCKQUOTE> <P> </P> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 15:16:08 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455962#M115433 Reeza 2018-04-20T15:16:08Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455978#M115442 <P>For the first error, the advice you have received is sound.  We would need to see the entire DATA step.</P> <P> </P> <P>For most of the errors, the mistake is right there in your code.  The comment statements throw off the IF/THEN/ELSE logic.  You can't have a comment statement before an ELSE statement ... it removes the connection with the previous IF condition.  You could change all your comments statements:</P> <P> </P> <P>* Not like this;</P> <P>/* but like this instead */</P> <P> </P> <P>Embedded comments won't disconnect the IF THEN from the subsequent ELSE IF.</P> <P> </P> <P>But the first error is still a mystery, and depends on what came prior to that in the program.</P> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:05:22 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455978#M115442 Astounding 2018-04-20T16:05:22Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455980#M115443 <BLOCKQUOTE><HR /><a href="https://communities.sas.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/4954">@Astounding</a> wrote:<BR /> <P>{deleted}</P> <P> </P> <P>For most of the errors, the mistake is right there in your code.  The comment statements throw off the IF/THEN/ELSE logic.  You can't have a comment statement before an ELSE statement ... it removes the connection with the previous IF condition.  You could change all your comments statements:</P> <P> </P> <P>* Not like this;</P> <P>/* but like this instead */</P> <P> </P> <P>Embedded comments won't disconnect the IF THEN from the subsequent ELSE IF.</P> <P> </P> <P>But the first error is still a mystery, and depends on what came prior to that in the program.</P> <HR /></BLOCKQUOTE> <P>I don't think that's true, you can have comments within the IF/ELSE IF statements regardless of type. </P> <P> </P> <P> </P> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:15:38 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455980#M115443 Reeza 2018-04-20T16:15:38Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455981#M115444 <P>It's been probably 30 years since I tested this, but I doubt it has changed.  I'm just not in a position to test it until Monday.  Let us know what you find out.</P> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:17:25 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455981#M115444 Astounding 2018-04-20T16:17:25Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455984#M115447 <P>I ran the code that <a href="https://communities.sas.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/13879">@Reeza</a> posted, which included the embedded *  ; comments, and it appeared to run perfectly.</P> <P> </P> <P>In fact, her example data showed a flaw that should be fixed in <a href="https://communities.sas.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/205856">@Amerie</a>'s code. The conditions don't trap values of 0, thus they're incorrectly recoded as 2 (i.e., representing GE 14)</P> <P> </P> <P>Art, CEO, AnalystFinder.com</P> <P> </P> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:23:59 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455984#M115447 art297 2018-04-20T16:23:59Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455991#M115453 <P><a href="https://communities.sas.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/4954">@Astounding</a> it works fine. However, adding apostrophe's to comments within a macro using * is a good way to introduce random errors into your work. </P> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:29:56 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455991#M115453 Reeza 2018-04-20T16:29:56Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455993#M115455 <P>Thank you. You were correct.</P> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:31:49 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455993#M115455 Amerie 2018-04-20T16:31:49Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455994#M115456 <P>Thank you. The code was correct. Something was going on outside of the datastep that I was unable to see. I rearranged and recoded it and it ran. Thank you again.</P> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:33:35 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455994#M115456 Amerie 2018-04-20T16:33:35Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455995#M115457 Thank you all! <a href="https://communities.sas.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/13711">@art297</a> that was my conclusion as well and I fixed it accordingly! Thank you all again so much. I really appreciate you taking the time to help me with this. Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:35:16 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/455995#M115457 Amerie 2018-04-20T16:35:16Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/456001#M115463 <BLOCKQUOTE><HR /><a href="https://communities.sas.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/13711">@art297</a> wrote:<BR /> <P>I ran the code that <a href="https://communities.sas.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/13879">@Reeza</a> posted, which included the embedded *  ; comments, and it appeared to run perfectly.</P> <P> </P> <P>In fact, her example data showed a flaw that should be fixed in <a href="https://communities.sas.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/205856">@Amerie</a>'s code. The conditions don't trap values of 0, thus they're incorrectly recoded as 2 (i.e., representing GE 14)</P> <P> </P> <P>Art, CEO, AnalystFinder.com</P> <P> </P> <HR /></BLOCKQUOTE> <P><a href="https://communities.sas.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/13711">@art297</a></P> <P>This is very specific to the BRFSS (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System) data. The survey data question collection coding does not allow 0 to be entered for this data point (and most others). The code value of 88 on the first test is for respondent answers of 0 or None.</P> <P>The data is "trapped" in effect for that value by CDC before the analysts receive the data.</P> <P>Which is also why none of the other values between 30 and 77, 77 to 88 or 88 to 99 are tested or coded.</P> <P> </P> <P>(Former BRFSS data collection contractor and occasional analyst)</P> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:55:09 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/456001#M115463 ballardw 2018-04-20T16:55:09Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/456045#M115474 <P>The problem actually happens in macro code.  If you try to use statement style comments (* ... <span class="lia-unicode-emoji" title=":winking_face:">😉</span> between macro %if/%else it will confuse the connection between the %if and the %else. Macro comments or block comments are ok there.</P> <PRE>2311 %macro test1(x); 2312 %if x1=1 %then %do; ageX=1; %end; 2313 * statement comment ; 2314 %else %do ; ageX=0; %end; ERROR: There is no matching %IF statement for the %ELSE. ERROR: A dummy macro will be compiled. 2315 %mend test1; 2316 %macro test2(x); 2317 %if x1=1 %then %do; ageX=1; %end; 2318 %* macro comment ; 2319 %else %do ; ageX=0; %end; 2320 %mend test2; 2321 %macro test3(x); 2322 %if x1=1 %then %do; ageX=1; %end; 2323 /* block comment */ 2324 %else %do ; ageX=0; %end; 2325 %mend test3;</PRE> <P> </P> <P> </P> <BLOCKQUOTE><HR /><a href="https://communities.sas.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/13879">@Reeza</a> wrote:<BR /> <BLOCKQUOTE><HR /><a href="https://communities.sas.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/4954">@Astounding</a> wrote:<BR /> <P>{deleted}</P> <P> </P> <P>For most of the errors, the mistake is right there in your code.  The comment statements throw off the IF/THEN/ELSE logic.  You can't have a comment statement before an ELSE statement ... it removes the connection with the previous IF condition.  You could change all your comments statements:</P> <P> </P> <P>* Not like this;</P> <P>/* but like this instead */</P> <P> </P> <P>Embedded comments won't disconnect the IF THEN from the subsequent ELSE IF.</P> <P> </P> <P>But the first error is still a mystery, and depends on what came prior to that in the program.</P> <HR /></BLOCKQUOTE> <P>I don't think that's true, you can have comments within the IF/ELSE IF statements regardless of type. </P> <P> </P> <P> </P> <HR /></BLOCKQUOTE> <P> </P> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 19:14:56 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/456045#M115474 Tom 2018-04-20T19:14:56Z Re: If Else Error https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/456059#M115480 <P><a href="https://communities.sas.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/159">@Tom</a> Yes, that's correct. If you use *; style comments in a macro you'll likely have issues. You need to use either:</P> <P> </P> <P>%* </P> <P>or </P> <P>/**/ to comment in a macro. </P> Fri, 20 Apr 2018 20:10:19 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Re-If-Else-Error/m-p/456059#M115480 Reeza 2018-04-20T20:10:19Z