topic Combining multiple variables in SAS Programming

Combining multiple variables

out_of_my_wheelhouse — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 23:48:02 GMT

Hi I'm having a problem combining multiple variables into a single column (or perhaps more exactly, I think I want to concatenate the variables?) . I think I'm supposed to be using the catx function, but I keep getting a variety of syntax errors when I try. I'd like to combine the 5 character code that exists in 25 different variables that are labeled DX1-DX25 into a new column called DXCOMBINED with a space between each value. I'm so far stuck at catx (" ", dx1, dx2, dx3, ....dx25).

Thanks for your help!

Re: Combining multiple variables

PGStats — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 18:07:57 GMT

Looks fine to me. Please give an example. What do the error messages say? - PG

Re: Combining multiple variables

ballardw — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 18:21:22 GMT

if the code in a data step looks like:

DXCombined = catx(" ", dx1, dx2, dx3, ..., dx25);

( catx(" ", dx1, dx2, dx3, ..., dx25) ) as DXCombined in proc sql

then I wouldn't expect an error.

It could be that the error is arising from something earlier in the program code.

Post the errors from the log.

Re: Combining multiple variables

Astounding — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 18:22:42 GMT

Just for ease of coding and simplicity, this variation should work (although I can't test it today):

dxcombined = catx(' ', of dx1-dx25);