topic Re: Creating a custom zscore function using SAS programming in SAS Programming

Creating a custom zscore function using SAS programming

Stacy1 — Sun, 22 Sep 2019 15:45:13 GMT

I am trying to create a z score function so that it can be used repeatedly anytime I want to calculate the z score.

I know how to calculate the z score, the only problem I have is to make it a function that can be reused.

I am using the cars data set which I will attach to this question.

First I created a library named ztest and imported the dataset;

libname ztest "\Users\Ifeoma\Downloads\newsas";
proc import datafile = "C:\Users\Ifeoma\Downloads\cars.xlsx"
out = ztest.zscore
dbms = xlsx replace;
getnames = yes;
run;

Here is my code for calculating z score which worked.

                    data test(keep = length horsepower mpg_city);
                           set ztest.zscore;
                    run;

                    proc standard data = test mean = 0 std = 1 out = z_test;
                            var length horsepower mpg_city;
                    run;

The data set WORK.Z_TEST has 421 observations and 3 variables.
NOTE: PROCEDURE STANDARD used (Total process time):
real-time 0.01 seconds
CPU time 0.01 seconds

Here is my code to create a z score function which did not work;

proc fcmp outlib = ztest.test;
function get_z(length, horsepower , mpg_city);
proc standard data = test mean = 0 std = 1 out = z_test;
var length horsepower mpg_city;
run;
options cmplib=ztest.test;
score = get_z(length, horsepower , mpg_city);
put score = ;

Here is the error I got;

NOTE: No CMP or C functions found in library ztest.test.
70 function get_z(length, horsepower , mpg_city);

ERROR: Subroutine 'get_z' was not terminated with ENDSUB.
NOTE: The SAS System stopped processing this step because of errors.
NOTE: PROCEDURE FCMP used (Total process time):
real-time 0.07 seconds
CPU time 0.04 seconds

Is there a way to correct this procedure or is there another procedure to use?

Re: Creating a custom zscore function using SAS programming

Reeza — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 01:57:46 GMT

The way you're currently designing this will not work. You'll need to provide some more requirements about what you're trying to accomplish before we can offer a solution.

You may need a macro instead of a function for example. Though PROC STANDARD does that anyways so not sure what value you'd get otherwise.

You will not be able to call it in the method you've shown as well, so more specifications are needed.

Re: Creating a custom zscore function using SAS programming

ChrisNZ — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 04:09:14 GMT

You are attempting to create a "function" that calls a procedure which outputs a data set.

But somehow you expect to get a value when you call this function.

A few steps are missing it seems.

Re: Creating a custom zscore function using SAS programming

PaigeMiller — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 11:00:04 GMT

@Stacy1 wrote:

I am trying to create a z score function so that it can be used repeatedly anytime I want to calculate the z score.

I know how to calculate the z score, the only problem I have is to make it a function that can be reused.

proc fcmp outlib = ztest.test;
function get_z(length, horsepower , mpg_city);
proc standard data = test mean = 0 std = 1 out = z_test;
var length horsepower mpg_city;
run;

I am not aware that functions in PROC FCMP can include SAS PROC statements.

What is wrong with simply using PROC STDIZE to obtain both the original variables and the zscore in a single data set? I don't see a need for a function/subroutine/macro to do this.