topic Re: How do I make a new variable based on values from exist columns in SAS Programming

How do I make a new variable based on values from exist columns

LarissaW — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 03:41:57 GMT

My data looks like this:

data dat; input id type type2 type3 type4 type5 type6; datalines; 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 3 4 5 0 0 0 0 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 5 6 3 0 0 0 0 6 7 2 1 6 0 0 ; run;

I want to create new variables based on the new classification of the type, like:

group A: have either 1 or 2 or 3 in variables type-type6;

group B: have either 5 or 6 in variables type-type6;

group C: have 4 in variables type-type6;

group 😧 have 7 in variables type-type6;

Each group is a single new column.

Is there a fast way to get the result I wanted?

Re: How do I make a new variable based on values from exist columns

Tom — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 03:55:33 GMT

First hint is do not indent lines of data. At best it just waste screen space and makes your program harder to read. At worse the spaces could get into the values or through off the input statement and cause it to read the wrong locations on the line.

To remind yourself (and prevent the SAS editor from auto indenting when you start a new line) do not indent the DATALINES statement either.

Second hint is use variable lists where they make sense to make your coding easier.

data have;
   input id type1-type6 ;
datalines;
1 1 0 0 0 0 0
2 3 1 0 0 0 0 
3 4 5 0 0 0 0
4 2 0 0 0 0 0
5 6 3 0 0 0 0 
6 7 2 1 6 0 0
;

Final hints:

Use the WHICHN() function to test if a value exists.

Use Boolean expressions to create 0/1 values.

data want;
  set have;
  groupa = whichn(1, of type1-type6) or whichn(2, of type1-type6) or whichn(3, of type1-type6);
  groupb = whichn(5, of type1-type6) or whichn(6, of type1-type6);
  groupc = 0^=whichn(4, of type1-type6);
  groupd = 0^=whichn(7, of type1-type6);
run;

Results

Re: How do I make a new variable based on values from exist columns

LarissaW — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 04:24:36 GMT

Thank you for the solution! I'd like to know if I didn't change the title "type" to "type1", can I use "of type:" to indicate all the type-type6?

Re: How do I make a new variable based on values from exist columns

Tom — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 13:08:17 GMT

You could use type: as long as there are not any other variables that start with type.

Or you could use type type2-type6.

But why would you want to break the naming pattern of the TYPE variables by not including the numeric suffix on the first variable?