topic Re: Creation of categorical variables in SAS Programming

Creation of categorical variables

Mdormond — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 20:10:20 GMT

Is it possible to take three dummy variables and recode them into one categorical variable with 4 different categories?

Re: Creation of categorical variables

ballardw — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 20:26:11 GMT

Yes.

Simple example is 3 variables coded 1 for yes (the dummy value of interest).

ina a data step

data want;

set have;

If var1=1 then Cat=1;

else if var2=1 then Cat=2;

else if var3=1 the cat=3;

else Cat=4;
run;

Re: Creation of categorical variables

Jagadishkatam — Fri, 25 Jul 2014 01:09:36 GMT

From the above code, since we are using the same cat variable for categorizing the var1,var2,var3 data, the final output will show the cat=3. per the code everytime the if then else condition executes and if the var1,var2 and var3 values are same , the cat value will be replaced or overwritten with 1, 2 and 3. but the final output will show 3.

the above code will work only when the three variables will have different values per row.

Thanks,

jag

Re: Creation of categorical variables

Mdormond — Fri, 25 Jul 2014 01:28:08 GMT

Is there any way to code it so the final output does not show all 3's? I would like each category to display a unique value.

Re: Creation of categorical variables

PGStats — Fri, 25 Jul 2014 02:23:43 GMT

You could use

cat = whichn(1, var1, var2, var3);

Re: Creation of categorical variables

ballardw — Fri, 25 Jul 2014 14:59:49 GMT

Since you didn't provide any example of your dummy variables or data layout I had to guess. If multiples of your dummy variables are 'Yes' then you need to describe the rules for which result you want. If the dummy variables are coded 0/1 and ONLY one is set to yest the code will work as described. Incomplete descriptions=incomplete answers.