topic Re: Merge keeping only some variables of one dataset in SAS Programming

Merge keeping only some variables of one dataset

ramgouveia — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 15:49:59 GMT

I'm trying to merge two different datasets, keeping some variables of the second dataset.

I used the following code:

proc sort data = MO;
by n;
run;
proc sort data = TE;
by n;
run;

Data MOTE; 
Merge   MO (in=A) TE (in=B keep = n UltMes MesSEMReg);
		by n;
		If A;
		run;

In the merged data set the variables UltMes MesSEMReg exist but they are empty.

Can you help me solving this problem?

Re: Merge keeping only some variables of one dataset

ballardw — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 15:59:48 GMT

Since you are only keeping records that have matching values of N in the data set MO the most likely cause of "missing" values for those variables is that your data set TE does not have values when the N matches.

You can test this with:

Proc freq data=TE;
   tables n * (UltMes MesSEMReg) /list missing;
run;

and look at the values of N in the MO data set and see what you have for UltMes and Messemreg for those in TE.

Next most likely

Re: Merge keeping only some variables of one dataset

ramgouveia — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 16:05:07 GMT

@ballardw

Both variables UltMes and MesSEMReg of dataset TE have registers in all of the fields.

The problem is not that one you helpfully suggested.

Re: Merge keeping only some variables of one dataset

ballardw — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 17:01:28 GMT

@ramgouveia wrote:

@ballardw

Both variables UltMes and MesSEMReg of dataset TE have registers in all of the fields.

The problem is not that one you helpfully suggested.

Are you sure that you have any matches of the BY variable? The code you used would have no contribution from TE if there are no matching values of N.

Did you 1) actually run the Proc Freq code I suggested and 2) compare any of the N values from the Freq output with the MO data set?

Just looking at displayed values may not be sufficient. Formats can round values to appear the same and if N is character leading spaces or non-printable characters may be present that make them not equal.

Re: Merge keeping only some variables of one dataset

Astounding — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 17:12:24 GMT

By any chance, do these variables:

n UltMes MesSEMReg

already exist in the TO data set before you merge?

Re: Merge keeping only some variables of one dataset

ramgouveia — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 09:44:02 GMT

Sorry @ballardw and @Astounding

Thank you for your help.

I have misspecified the name of the second dataset. Correcting it, solves the error.