topic Re: How to use upcase and test upcase in SAS Programming

How to use upcase and test upcase

Phil_NZ — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 11:27:56 GMT

Hi all SAS Users,

I have want to create a variable voi_and_acc=1 if GEOGN match one of some specific words

For example, I have some input specific words like: Argentina, AuStralia

GEOGN is ARGENTINA and AUSTRALIA.

So, I guess my code should be

data add_sub;
	set work.merge_treat_con;
	 if GEOGN in upcase("Australia","Austria") then voi_and_acc=1;
run;

However, the error showing is that

28         data add_sub;
29         	set work.merge_treat_con;
30         	 if GEOGN in upcase("Australia","Austria") then voi_and_acc=1;
                               _
                               22
                               76
ERROR: The right-hand operand must be an array name or a constant value list.  The specified name upcase, is not an array.
ERROR 22-322: Syntax error, expecting one of the following: IN, NOTIN.  

ERROR 76-322: Syntax error, statement will be ignored.

Could you please help me to sort it out?

Many thanks.

Re: How to use upcase and test upcase

Kurt_Bremser — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 11:35:40 GMT

These are literals, so you do not need a function, just write them in uppercase:

 if GEOGN in ("AUSTRALIA","AUSTRIA")

And you have to use the list immediately following the IN operator; also, the items in the list MUST be literals (constants).

Re: How to use upcase and test upcase

PaigeMiller — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 12:44:23 GMT

@Phil_NZ wrote:

Hi all SAS Users,

I have want to create a variable voi_and_acc=1 if GEOGN match one of some specific words

For example, I have some input specific words like: Argentina, AuStralia

GEOGN is ARGENTINA and AUSTRALIA.

So, I guess my code should be
data add_sub;
	set work.merge_treat_con;
	 if GEOGN in upcase("Australia","Austria") then voi_and_acc=1;
run;

You could also use the FIND function, which allows case insensitive testing of character strings using the 'i' option.

if find(geogn,'Australia','i')>0 or find(geogn,'Austria','i')>0 then ...

Adding on to @Kurt_Bremser 's answer, most SAS interfaces have keyboard shortcuts that allow you to change text that you have selected and convert it to uppercase, magically, right before your eyes! On my Windows 10 computer running Base SAS 9.4, the keyboard shortcut is Ctrl-Shift-U. So if you typed mixed case "Australia" and then select it and Ctrl-Shift-U, now you have "AUSTRALIA".

Re: How to use upcase and test upcase

Phil_NZ — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 21:02:00 GMT

Hi @Kurt_Bremser

@Kurt_Bremser wrote:

And you have to use the list immediately following the IN operator

Does it mean that I cannot use

if GEOGN in upcase() or any function but just only if GEOGN in() ?

Warm regards.

Re: How to use upcase and test upcase

PaigeMiller — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 21:34:33 GMT

You can do this:

if geogn in (upcase('Australia'))

but it would be less typing to do this:

if geogn in ('AUSTRALIA')

Re: How to use upcase and test upcase

Kurt_Bremser — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 21:36:48 GMT

@Phil_NZ wrote:

Hi @Kurt_Bremser
@Kurt_Bremser wrote:
And you have to use the list immediately following the IN operator
Does it mean that I cannot use

if GEOGN in upcase() or any function but just only if GEOGN in() ?

Warm regards.

Absolutely. See the documentation of the IN Operator.
The IN is set up by the data step or SQL compiler at compile time, so it cannot have variable expressions or functions in it.

Re: How to use upcase and test upcase

ChrisNZ — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 21:51:41 GMT

The syntax I'd use would be:

if GEOGN in %upcase(('Australia','Austria'))

This ensures the interpreted string is static, for better performance.

Re: How to use upcase and test upcase

ChrisNZ — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 21:54:10 GMT

Another option is:

if prxmatch('/Australia|Austria/i',GEOGN)

The list of words can easily be expanded, and the final i make the match case-insensitive.

Re: How to use upcase and test upcase

PaigeMiller — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 21:57:23 GMT

@ChrisNZ wrote:

The syntax I'd use would be:
if GEOGN in %upcase(('Australia','Austria'))
This ensures the interpreted string is static, for better performance.

It's still less typing to put the country names in uppercase to begin with.

Re: How to use upcase and test upcase

ChrisNZ — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 03:16:20 GMT

I understand the words come as is. GEOGN match one of some specific words

Yes these words could be uppercased too if that doesn't have any negative effect somewhere else