topic Re: Add underscore if variable has input or put function or best. format in SAS Programming

Add underscore if variable has input or put function or best. format

SASPhile — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 21:01:30 GMT

Variable_name
      input(Oldvar,best.)
       put(Oldvar,best.)

        Variable_name_1
      input(Oldvar_,best.)
       put(Oldvar_,best.)

How to add an underscore after oldvar so variable_1 becomes input(Oldvar_,best.) put(Oldvar_,best.)

Re: Add underscore if variable has input or put function or best. format

ballardw — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 21:07:11 GMT

Some context would help.

Are you trying to create a new variable from something where you don't actually know the name of the variable? If so, how are you getting "oldvar" to begin with?

What if there is already a variable "oldvar_" in the data set in use?

Re: Add underscore if variable has input or put function or best. format

SASPhile — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 21:12:29 GMT

Yes creating a new variable,but this is how the variable is given by user ,but it has to be changed to an underscore as all other variables will be changes to an underscore as well.

Re: Add underscore if variable has input or put function or best. format

Reeza — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 21:14:34 GMT

Is it given by the user as a macro variable? How is it specified. We need a lot more details here. It could be as simple as macro variables with a period.

@SASPhile wrote:

Yes creating a new variable,but this is how the variable is given by user ,but it has to be changed to an underscore as all other variables will be changes to an underscore as well.

Re: Add underscore if variable has input or put function or best. format

SASPhile — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 21:29:02 GMT

Not a macro variable. but in dataset

Out_Variable In_variable

New_Var input(oldvar,best.)

The input dataset has oldvar_ as variable name instead.so the new_var equals to input(oldvar_,best.)

Re: Add underscore if variable has input or put function or best. format

Reeza — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 21:42:46 GMT

More details. How do you know that oldvar will be converted?

Re: Add underscore if variable has input or put function or best. format

ballardw — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 22:42:29 GMT

@SASPhile wrote:

Yes creating a new variable,but this is how the variable is given by user ,but it has to be changed to an underscore as all other variables will be changes to an underscore as well.

This doesn't quite make sense to me. If "all other variables will be changed(sic) to an underscore" then where does a user providing a name have any impact? It sounds like you are doing the same thing for all variables in the data set.

And HOW does the user provide the information on the variable name.

Since you are specifying a BEST format how can you be sure that the "user" never specifies a character variable that BEST will not work for? And it actually appears as if at least two variables are concerned: Variable_name AND Oldvar.

Re: Add underscore if variable has input or put function or best. format

Ksharp — Wed, 29 Aug 2018 12:13:37 GMT

You mean this ?

data have;
x='input(Oldvar,best.)';
want=tranwrd(x,',','_,');
run;