topic deal with numbers as column names in macro, arrays ,do loops in SAS Programming

deal with numbers as column names in macro, arrays ,do loops

progster — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 12:22:29 GMT

hi guys

I would like to create a macro or array to deal with columns called '0'n to '120'n.

I would like to introduce a loop or somenthing, like do i=0 to 120; but I can't manage to adapt it to this kind of expression ' ..number that gives the name to the column... 'n

Re: deal with numbers as column names in macro, arrays ,do loops

LinusH — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 13:31:22 GMT

Can you be bit more specific about what you wish to do?

Have tried something which didn't work, please attach any relevant log.

Re: deal with numbers as column names in macro, arrays ,do loops

Astounding — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 14:29:07 GMT

Inside a macro:

%local i;

%do i=0 %to 120;

%unquote(%str(%'&i%'n))

%end;

Re: deal with numbers as column names in macro, arrays ,do loops

data_null__ — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 15:49:17 GMT

I might be inclined to use the nliteral function. Although my example has no basis in reality.:smileysilly:

17         %macro main;
18            %local i;
19            %do i = 1 %to 10; 
20               %sysfunc(nliteral(&i))
21               %end; 
22            %mend; 
23         data _null_;
24            array a %
main (1:10);
25            put 'NOTE: ' (a)(=);
26            run;

NOTE: '1'n=1 '2'n=2 '3'n=3 '4'n=4 '5'n=5 '6'n=6 '7'n=7 '8'n=8 '9'n=9 '10'n=10

Re: deal with numbers as column names in macro, arrays ,do loops

progster — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 10:59:26 GMT

Sorry guys I can't figure out to apply your statement to my real life situation

my real data have a structure like this:

data net_revenues;

infile cards dlm=',';

input type $ '1'n '2'n '3'n;

cards;

a,18,12,100

b,20,23,50

c,22,1,75

;

in real life I have many more columns so as I said I would like to avoid to repeat all the column name.

let's imagine a simple macro putting a proc freq of variable '1'n to '3'n? how would you adapt your code to this (in real life I would do thing more complex than proc freq, but it's just a workaround to speak of something easy).

thanks

Re: deal with numbers as column names in macro, arrays ,do loops

JerryLeBreton — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 11:27:03 GMT

Can you take a step back?

Why can't you simply name your variables N0, N1, ..., N120

This would make array processing and looping straight forward.

The variables can also just be given labels 0, 1, ..., 120

Re: deal with numbers as column names in macro, arrays ,do loops

data_null__ — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:07:44 GMT

I did say it had no basis in reality. I think you just need to use a "SAS Variable List"

enumerated '1'n-'300'n

name range '1'n-numeric-'200'n

Re: deal with numbers as column names in macro, arrays ,do loops

Tom — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 15:15:29 GMT

Why do you think that you need to use numbers for your variable names?

Re: deal with numbers as column names in macro, arrays ,do loops

Tom — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 15:43:22 GMT

Here is code to input an arbitrary number of columns named with numbers.

I still have no idea why you would want to do this.

options validvarname=any;

%let first=1;

%let last=3;

data net_revenues;

infile cards dlm=',' truncover ;

input type $ "&first"n - "&last"n;

put (_all_) (=);

cards;

a,18,12,100

b,20,23,50

c,22,1,75

;

type=a 1=18 2=12 3=100

type=b 1=20 2=23 3=50

type=c 1=22 2=1 3=75