topic Re: Easiest way of deleting line based on SAS created OBS # (which isn't a variable) in SAS Programming

Easiest way of deleting line based on row number

jackice — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 20:04:11 GMT

Hi, Im using SAS University Studio 3.4, after 10 years of not using it.

The snippets Filter doesnt allow to delete or filter out data line base on the sas created obs#

I wish to use a simple data net set old if then delete statement but using the OBS# as the criteria

Can somoene pls give me the code I need for that?

THANKS!

Re: Easiest way of deleting line based on SAS created OBS # (which isn't a variable)

NScheperle — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 19:58:43 GMT

I believe you could do something like this to delete observation #1. _n_ is an automatically generated variable in data steps that's dropped from the output.

data newtable;

set oldtable;

if _n_ ne 1;

run;

Re: Easiest way of deleting line based on SAS created OBS # (which isn't a variable)

jackice — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 20:14:07 GMT

ill try that thanks - what “ne” stands for exactly pls?

Re: Easiest way of deleting line based on SAS created OBS # (which isn't a variable)

Reeza — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 20:16:28 GMT

Its a comparison operator - NE - Not Equal

They're documented here:

http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/lrcon/62955/HTML/default/viewer.htm#a000780367.htm

Re: Easiest way of deleting line based on SAS created OBS # (which isn't a variable)

NScheperle — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 20:16:39 GMT

"Not equal to", scroll to comparison operators

http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/lrcon/62955/HTML/default/viewer.htm#a000780367.htm

Re: Easiest way of deleting line based on SAS created OBS # (which isn't a variable)

jackice — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 20:42:07 GMT

It works like a charm