topic Re: Using a do loop to combine multiple data sets in SAS Programming

Using a do loop to combine multiple data sets

benjamin_2018 — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 18:41:06 GMT

Community,

I have several datasets with quarterly survey data, each with the same set of variables. I want to create one dataset from these multiple datasets without having to copy and paste the same steps with slightly different dataset names. I am a bit new to SAS so this is beyond my skill level. Can I use a do loop to read data from multiple datasets if I just use the index variable in the name of the dataset? Or is there a different and better way?

Here is the basic scenario. I have 4 datasets.

vacancy_data_1

vacancy_data_2

vacancy_data_3

vacancy_data_4

I want to create 1 dataset that combines these 4 separate dataset in order to output a graph of, for example, a change in a varaible over time, since these are quarterly datasets.

My best guess is:

data vacancy_data_combined;

do i=1 to 4;

set vacancy_data_i;

end;

run;

Thank you.

Re: Using a do loop to combine multiple data sets

Tom — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 18:47:00 GMT

There is no need for any DO loop to concatenate datasets. Just list them all on the SET statement.

data vacancy_data_combined;
  set vacancy_data_1 vacancy_data_2 vacancy_data_3 vacancy_data_4 ;  
run;

If they really do have a simple range of numeric suffixes then you can use a member name list.

data vacancy_data_combined;
  set vacancy_data_1 - vacancy_data_4 ;  
run;

Or if all of them have the same prefix (and no other datasets use that prefix) you can use the colon wildcard to make the member name list.

data vacancy_data_combined;
  set vacancy_data_: ;
run;

Re: Using a do loop to combine multiple data sets

benjamin_2018 — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 19:33:02 GMT

Thank you Tom!