topic Re: Generate uniques randoms dates in SAS Programming

Generate uniques randoms dates

John4 — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 12:29:26 GMT

To generate random date in sas, I use this code

data random_date;
  mindate='01jan2015'd;
  maxdate='30dec2017'd;
  range = maxdate-mindate+1;
  format mindate maxdate randate date9.;
  do i = 1 to 100000;
    RanDate = mindate + int(ranuni(12345)*range);
    output;
  end;
run;

But how can I generate uniques randoms dates ?

Re: Generate uniques randoms dates

RW9 — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 12:42:47 GMT

Well to get rid of duplicates you would do:

proc sort data=randomdate nodupkey;
  by randate;
run;

However I don't think that is what your after is it? You want 10000 unique dates of a random nature yes? If so then just loop over your min/max range, and then sample for the items across this range yes/no 10000 results:

data want;
  do randate='01jan2015'd to '30dec2017'd;
    output;
  end;
run;
proc surveyselect data=want;
  method=srs n=10000 out=SampleSRS;
run;

Re: Generate uniques randoms dates

PGStats — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 13:32:14 GMT

One problem: there are only 1096 unique dates in the three year range.

Re: Generate uniques randoms dates

RW9 — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 13:49:27 GMT

That would depend on how many fruit bearing trees you had over those 3 years no?

But good question, can't have 10000 unique dates in that period.

Re: Generate uniques randoms dates

John4 — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 14:00:20 GMT

So I have to change the number and also the dates like this

mindate='01jan1900'd;
maxdate='30dec2017'd;

thanks