topic Re: Recoding blank responses in a string of similar variables - help needed in SAS Programming

Recoding blank responses in a string of similar variables - help needed

Bluekeys49 — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 14:01:32 GMT

I have 30 survey variables, named AB_1, AB_2, AB,_3,...,AB_30. Most of these variables contain a survey response, either answer choice A, B, or C. In some cases, the responses are blank. How do I change all blank responses to a code of 5? I know there has to be as shorter way rather than me coding out

if AB_1 = ' ' then AB_1 = '5';

if AB_2 = ' ' then AB_2 = '5';

if AB_3 = ' ' then AB_3 = '5';

if AB_30 = ' ' then AB_30 = '5';

Thanks for any help!

Re: Recoding blank responses in a string of similar variables - help needed

PaigeMiller — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 16:26:21 GMT

This is a job for an ARRAY.

data want;
    set have;
    array ar ar_1-ar_30;
    do i=1 to dim(ar);
        if ar(i)=' ' then ar(i)='5';
    end;
    drop i;
run;

Although, I do feel the need to ask — why do you need to do this? What can you do with a '5' that you can't do with a ' '?

Re: Recoding blank responses in a string of similar variables - help needed

Bluekeys49 — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 17:36:29 GMT

Thank you very much. It worked. Not sure if I will keep blanks or recode to another value, so I just used 5 as an example.