topic Re: assign values to variables which started out as values in SAS Programming

assign values to variables which started out as values

markc — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 02:21:38 GMT

Hello,

How do I assign values to the values within macro variables which I want to be variables in turn?

For example, let's say I assign a number of question codes:

data question_vars;
input question_code $25.;
datalines;
QUESTION_CODE001

QUESTION_CODE002

QUESTION_CODE003
run;

proc sql noprint;
select question_code into: questioncodelist separated by ' '
from question_vars;
quit;

So, from here, how do I assign a value to QUESTION_CODE001? In other words, I want to make the values within question_code be variables unto which I can assign values to.

Kind regards,

Mark

Re: assign values to variables which started out as values

ChrisNZ — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 03:31:59 GMT

Like this?

data question_vars;
 input question_code $25.;
 datalines;
QUESTION_CODE001
QUESTION_CODE002
QUESTION_CODE003
run;

proc sql noprint;
  select catt('&',question_code) into: questioncodelist separated by ' '
  from question_vars;
quit;

%let question_code001=a;
%let question_code002=b;
%let question_code003=c;

%put &=questioncodelist;

QUESTIONCODELIST=a b c

Re: assign values to variables which started out as values

markc — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 03:51:31 GMT

Thank you very much for your reply!

I'm finding this one hard to put into words to be honest.

Basically I would like to be able to read through a dataset and I would like to make the value of a variable, in turn be another variable which I can assign another value to.

For example let's say an observation contains:

Columns: var1 var2 var3

Row 1 contents: AAA BBB CCC

So as I am reading through var1, I would like to be able to make its value i.e. AAA in turn be a variable name to which I can assign var3.

In other words:

let the value of (var1) = the value of var3

so that new variable AAA = CCC.

Many thanks!

Re: assign values to variables which started out as values

Reeza — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 04:03:22 GMT

CALL SYMPUTX().

Re: assign values to variables which started out as values

ChrisNZ — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 04:03:47 GMT

Maybe this then?

data _null_;
  retain VAR1 'AAA'  VAR3 'CCC';
  call symputx(VAR1, VAR3);
  call execute('%put &='||VAR1);
run;

AAA=CCC