topic Can anyone kindly please explain about this syntax as what it does? in SAS Programming

Can anyone kindly please explain about this syntax as what it does?

GN0001 — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 02:42:04 GMT

Hello team,

I have this:

proc sql;
select counts (*) into: avariableName from mytable;
quit;

Respectfully,

blue & blue

Re: Can anyone kindly please explain about this syntax as what it does?

mkeintz — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 03:54:31 GMT

Search on the web for URL that contain the three words "sas sql into".

The first link the appeared for my search was

SAS(R) 9.3 SQL Procedure User's Guide

Re: Can anyone kindly please explain about this syntax as what it does?

ballardw — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 04:58:58 GMT

Actually I suspect it does nothing except throw an error because there is no function COUNTS.

Using a data set I know exists:

109  proc sql;
110  select counts (*) into: avariableName
111  from sashelp.class;
ERROR: * used for a function other than COUNT.
ERROR: Function COUNTS could not be located.
112  quit;

Using the function Count, that does exist:

113  proc sql;
114  select count (*) into: avariableName
115  from sashelp.class;
116  quit;
NOTE: PROCEDURE SQL used (Total process time):
      real time           0.00 seconds
      cpu time            0.00 seconds


117
118  %put The macro variable Avariablename=&avariablename.;
The macro variable Avariablename=      19

@GN0001 wrote:

Hello team,

I have this:
proc sql;
select counts (*) into: avariableName from mytable;
quit;
Respectfully,

blue & blue

Count(*) basically counts observations

Re: Can anyone kindly please explain about this syntax as what it does?

Kurt_Bremser — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 08:05:45 GMT

Using COUNT(*) causes SQL to read the whole dataset; it is much better (faster) to query the dataset metadata:

proc sql noprint;
select nobs (*) into: avariableName
from dictionary.tables
where libname = "WORK" and memname = "MYTABLE";
quit;

Re: Can anyone kindly please explain about this syntax as what it does?

Tom — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 14:41:36 GMT

What part don't you understand?

PROC SQL?

SELECT?

COUNT() function?
COUNT(*)?

INTO?

FROM?

What do you think it does from the context of the program where it was used?