topic Accessing different Variables with varying names in SAS Programming

Accessing different Variables with varying names

andreas_schmitz — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 09:24:49 GMT

Hi Community,

I have a table like this:

AK_2014	AK_2015	AK_2017	AK_2018	AK_2019
0	100	0	200	0
50	0	30	0	10
25	0	0	17	0

I would like to create a data step and have to access the columns depending on the input date. For example:

Data test;

set AK_Table;

y=year(input_date);

If AK_y >0 then;

Result1=AK_y;

Else if AK_(y-1) >0 then;

Result1=AK_(y-1);

.....

run;

But obviously this is not the correct way, since SAS tries to find the variable AK_y, which does not exist.

How can I get the value of y and access the correct variable? For example if y=2015, then access AK_2015 and (if necessary) AK_2014, if y=2018, access AK_2018 and (if necessary) AK_2017 and so on...

Thank you in advance for any help.

Re: Accessing different Variables with varying names

RW9 — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 10:02:33 GMT

Hi,

Arrays are probably the easiest. I would suggest that you remove the 201x from your variable names and just use a sequential number with the year in the label, it will make your life easier and your code look better.

data want;

set have;

array ak{6} 8. ak_2014-ak2019;

y=year(input_date);

result=ak{y-2013};

run;

Now I haven't checked the above runs as I don't have test data, but what it does is take 2013 off your year value to leave 1-9 and use that to reference the specific variable in the array. The reason I mention sequential numbers is that if you have a date with 2013 then your going to have problems. If its just 1-9 and 1 references the first date in the row, then the code would work in all cases, and you then just need to check the label for ak_1 to get the year.

Re: Accessing different Variables with varying names

mohamed_zaki — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 10:14:46 GMT

data have;

input a_2014 a_2013 ;

cards;

1 4

0 7

5 8

;

run;

%let YEAR = 2014;

%let PYEAR = %sysfunc(putn(&YEAR-1,4.));

data want;

set have;

if a_&YEAR > 0 then result1=a_&YEAR;

Else if a_&PYEAR > 0 then result1=a_&PYEAR;

run;

Re: Accessing different Variables with varying names

Ksharp — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 10:37:21 GMT

Is input_date a simple value outside the dataset OR it is a variable include in the dataset ?

Xia Keshan

Re: Accessing different Variables with varying names

andreas_schmitz — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 12:03:17 GMT

input_date is a variable the user has to input via prompt in SAS.

Re: Accessing different Variables with varying names

Ksharp — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 12:47:04 GMT

So you are using EG . better post is at SAS Enterprise Guide.

And mohamoed's code might be what you are looking for .

Re: Accessing different Variables with varying names

andreas_schmitz — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 12:51:46 GMT

Ok, I'll do this next time.

Ok, but I also liked the suggestion of RW9 and used an array since I don't have values before 2014.

Thank you all guys for your help. You are simply awesome.

Re: Accessing different Variables with varying names

mohamed_zaki — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 13:42:10 GMT

Then, please mark the question as answered.