topic Re: Renaming and Removing Variables in SAS Programming

Renaming Variables

NickA1 — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 15:24:23 GMT

I am trying to rename a column after transposing my data, but it wont let me... I keep getting a reference error...anyone know what I'm doing wrong? I ran proc contents and it looks like the variable name Is correct

data YieldsRenamed2 (rename=(_label_=cusip));

set Yieldstransposed;

run;

Renaming and Removing Variables

NickA1 — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 14:41:24 GMT

Looking to rename a variable and remove a column but I keep getting an error that says the variable has not been reference...here is my code

data YieldsRenamed (rename= (label_of_former_variable=cusip));

set Yieldstransposed;

run;

this wont rename it and where should I add in the remove argument?

Re: Renaming and Removing Variables

PaigeMiller — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 14:43:40 GMT

Seems as if you are using the LABEL of a variable instead of the NAME of the variable.

(rename= (label_of_former_variable=cusip))

You might want to run PROC CONTENTS on this data set Yieldstransposed so you can see the actual name of the variable.

Re: Renaming and Removing Variables

ballardw — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 14:50:16 GMT

@NickA1 wrote:

Looking to rename a variable and remove a column but I keep getting an error that says the variable has not been reference...here is my code

data YieldsRenamed (rename= (label_of_former_variable=cusip));

set Yieldstransposed;

run;

this wont rename it and where should I add in the remove argument?

DROP on either input set or output set as dataset option or a DROP statement in the body of the data step code to "remove" a variable. One way:

data YieldsRenamed (rename= (name_of_variable_to_rename=cusip));
   set Yieldstransposed (drop=name_of_variable_to_drop);
run;

When to drop depends of when you want to use it. if you need it in the data step then either the drop statement or data set option on the output set. Otherwise it is a style choice.

Re: Renaming and Removing Variables

NickA1 — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 14:51:59 GMT

can you walk me through how to run proc contents?

Re: Renaming and Removing Variables

Reeza — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 14:54:35 GMT

proc contents data=sashelp.class;run;

In the documentation for each procedure, there's an examples section that includes code that shows you how to use the procedure.

https://documentation.sas.com/?docsetId=proc&docsetVersion=9.4&docsetTarget=n1a5k5u51pvnlhn17j9v82nciokh.htm&locale=en

Re: Renaming and Removing Variables

NickA1 — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 14:58:08 GMT

the variable is called "_label_" but this still didn't work when I tried to rename it

data YieldsRenamed2 (rename=(_label_=cusip));

set Yieldstransposed;

run;

Re: Renaming Variables

Tom — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 15:31:33 GMT

Show the lines of text from the SAS log. Make sure to use the Insert Code icon (looks like {i} on the menu bar) so that formatting is not lost.

There are two possible errors from the RENAME= option in your code.

1) The variable _LABEL_ does not exist on the input dataset. If none of the variables being transformed had labels attached then PROC TRANSPOSE will NOT create the _LABEL_ variable. You could eliminate the error by adding the variable into this step.

Of course then CUSIP is will not be very useful.

data YieldsRenamed2 (rename=(_label_=cusip));
  set Yieldstransposed;
  retain _label_ 'no label defined';
run;

2) The variable CUSIP is already on the dataset so you cannot rename some other variable to that name.

Re: Renaming Variables

NickA1 — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 15:35:30 GMT

49
50     data YieldsRenamed1 (rename=(_LABEL_=cusip));
51     set Yieldstransposed;
52     run;

NOTE: There were 138390 observations read from the data set WORK.YIELDSTRANSPOSED.
NOTE: The data set WORK.YIELDSRENAMED1 has 138390 observations and 4 variables.
NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):
      real time           0.11 seconds
      cpu time            0.07 seconds

here is the code from the log

Re: Renaming Variables

Tom — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 15:36:04 GMT

No error there.

Re: Renaming Variables

NickA1 — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 15:36:53 GMT

but it didn't rename my variable...

Re: Renaming and Removing Variables

Astounding — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 15:37:41 GMT

Does your original data set already contain a variable named CUSIP? That would prevent renaming another variable to CUSIP.

Re: Renaming and Removing Variables

NickA1 — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 15:39:39 GMT

no but another data set has a variable named cusip. I want to merge these two variables. is it possible to do it without making them the same name?

Re: Renaming Variables

Tom — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 15:41:37 GMT

Show the PROC CONTENTS of the NEW dataset.

Perhaps you are looking at the LABEL of the renamed variable instead of its NAME? WHy not also change the label while you are at it?

I feel that frequently it is much clearer if you use the actual RENAME statement instead of the RENAME= dataset option.

data want;
  set have;
  rename _label_=CUSIP;
  label _label_='CUSIP generated from _LABEL_';
run;

Re: Renaming and Removing Variables

KachiM — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 16:05:33 GMT

data YieldsRenamed (rename= (label_of_former_variable=cusip));

set Yieldstransposed;

run;

You are renaming in Output Data set. Do you want to RENAME label_of_former_variable in the Input Data set, Yieldstransposed ?

Re: Renaming and Removing Variables

NickA1 — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 16:06:23 GMT

yes, exactly

Re: Renaming and Removing Variables

KachiM — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 16:11:56 GMT

data YieldsRenamed;

set Yieldstransposed;
rename label_of_former_variable=cusip;

run;

Use rename this way in input data set.

Re: Renaming and Removing Variables

Reeza — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 16:22:32 GMT

Did you check the YieldsREnamed data set for the renamed variable? Can you show a proc contents on that data set after you run the code above and include the log?

Re: Renaming Variables

Reeza — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 16:38:41 GMT

@NickA1 wrote:

I am trying to rename a column after transposing my data, but it wont let me... I keep getting a reference error...anyone know what I'm doing wrong? I ran proc contents and it looks like the variable name Is correct

data YieldsRenamed2 (rename=(_label_=cusip));

set Yieldstransposed;

run;

Please don't post the same question twice, I've merged them for now.

What is likely happening is that you're seeing the variable label, not the variable name in your proc print, you've specified label. Renaming a variable does not change it's label, so you need to change it manually.

data YieldsRenamed2 (rename=(_label_=cusip));

set Yieldstransposed;

label _label_ = "CUSIP";

run;

There is also a likely easier fix, on the PROC TRANSPOSE output you can rename the variable right in that step.

Re: Renaming and Removing Variables

Tom — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 16:40:50 GMT

@KachiM wrote:
data YieldsRenamed (rename= (label_of_former_variable=cusip));

set Yieldstransposed;

run;
You are renaming in Output Data set. Do you want to RENAME label_of_former_variable in the Input Data set, Yieldstransposed ?

I really doubt if you have a variable named LABEL_OF_FORMER_VARIABLE. You might have a variable named _LABEL_ that has a label of 'LABEL OF FORMER VARIABLE'.