topic Re: Prematch didn't work while searching in the middle string? in SAS Programming

Prematch didn't work while searching in the middle string?

ybz12003 — Sun, 09 Feb 2020 18:48:20 GMT

Hello,

I use prematch function below. It seems like my program wasn't working. How to fix it? Thanks.

data datain;

format name $ 500.;

input name &;

cards;

CAR ID 5648MA

0009463

000-4721

;

run;

data dataout;
  set datain;
  if prxmatch("m/(?=.*?If_True)(?=.*?5648)/i",name) > 0 then found=1;
  else if prxmatch("m/(?=.*?If_True)(?=.*?9463)/i",name) > 0 then found=2;
  else if prxmatch("m/(?=.*?If_False)(?=.*?4721)/i",name) > 0 then found=3;
  else found=0;
run;

Re: Prematch didn't work while searching in the middle string?

jklaverstijn — Sun, 09 Feb 2020 19:26:59 GMT

Looks like you based your code on another Communities answer where If_True and If_False wereactually part of the data. They are not part of any regex syntax. Here they are not so you will always see found=0. I have simplified your regex and this works for me. I hope it also work for you.

data dataout;
  set datain;
  if prxmatch("m/.*?5648/i",name) > 0 then found=1;
  else if prxmatch("m/.*?9463/i",name) > 0 then found=2;
  else if prxmatch("m/.*?4721/i",name) > 0 then found=3;
  else found=0;
run;

Regards,

- Jan.

Re: Prematch didn't work while searching in the middle string?

ed_sas_member — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 09:03:55 GMT

Hi @ybz12003

A simplier approach, assuming that the condition to flag the variable is to find the pattern anywhere in the string (no condition such as the string ends with the pattern, ...)

data dataout;
  set datain;
  if prxmatch("/5648/",name) > 0 then found=1;
  else if prxmatch("/9463/",name) > 0 then found=2;
  else if prxmatch("/4721/",name) > 0 then found=3;
  else found=0;
run;

-> no need to add the "i" modifier as you look for digits and not letters