topic Re: keeping variables of a dataset into a varlist in SAS Programming

keeping variables of a dataset into a varlist

sasuser1000 — Mon, 02 May 2011 14:53:01 GMT

I usually use this in order to create a varlist

%let varlist=var1 var2 var3;

I call the varlist by using &varlist

I have a dataset with 4000 variables that I would like to keep into a varlist as well without entering them one by one in the %let statement

Any idea on how to do this?

Re: keeping variables of a dataset into a varlist

art297 — Mon, 02 May 2011 15:06:03 GMT

Yes you can, but why? What are you trying to do as variables are automatically kept unless you explicitly drop them?

You can always use proc sql on dictionary.columns to automatically create a macro variable that contains the kind of list you describe.

Art

Re: keeping variables of a dataset into a varlist

sasuser1000 — Mon, 02 May 2011 16:00:58 GMT

Hi Art297,

do you mean doing this?

proc sql;
select a.* into:varlist2
from class as a;
quit;

Re: keeping variables of a dataset into a varlist

art297 — Mon, 02 May 2011 16:40:29 GMT

No. Assuming by class you meant sashelp.class, then what I meant was:
[pre]
proc sql noprint;
select name
into :varlist2 separated by " "
from dictionary.columns
where libname eq "SASHELP" and
memname="CLASS"
;
quit;
[/pre]

Art