topic Re: An array for trim function in SAS Programming

An array for trim function

sarahsasuser — Wed, 20 May 2015 17:08:59 GMT

Hi All,

I need to take a '.' out of 44 variables: var_1-var_44 and would like to do this with an array. The following code is not working. Can you help me troubleshoot?

Data...

length vrn $8.;

array varnew (*) var_1-var_44;

do i=1 to dim(varnew);

vrn=compress(trim(vrn), '.');

end;

drop i;

....

run;

Thanks.

Re: An array for trim function

Tom — Wed, 20 May 2015 17:21:03 GMT

You need to use VARNEW(I) to reference the current variable instead of VM.

Personally I would use DO OVER, but SAS is trying to remove that functionality.

array varnew var_1-var_44 ;

do over varnew;

varnew=compress(varnew,'.');

end;

Re: An array for trim function

Astounding — Wed, 20 May 2015 17:34:05 GMT

Just on a hunch ... is it possible that these variables are numeric rather than character?

Re: An array for trim function

sarahsasuser — Wed, 20 May 2015 18:52:07 GMT

Thanks Tom that worked. However, if SAS is getting rid of DO OVER, what other options are there? When I reference varnew in the compress function without the DO OVER, I get an error that the varnew var can't be referenced here. Example:

array varnew (*) var_1-var_44;

do i=1 to dim(varnew);

vrn=compress(trim(varnew), '.');

end;

drop i;

Re: An array for trim function

ballardw — Wed, 20 May 2015 20:23:48 GMT

If using the explicit array step, the i= 1 to dim() then you have to use the Explicit array reference varnew.

Re: An array for trim function

Tom — Wed, 20 May 2015 20:53:21 GMT

If you want to use explicit array references then you do have to actually be explicit in your references, so make sure the include the index value when you use the array name in a statement.

Plus you need to write the result back to the same variable if you want it to have any effect.

Note that you really don't need the (*) as SAS knows that you have listed the variables and can count them itself.

And the TRIM() function is doing nothing in this context.

array varnew var_1-var_44;

do i=1 to dim(varnew);

varnew(i)=compress(varnew(i), '.');

end;

drop i;

Re: An array for trim function

Ksharp — Fri, 22 May 2015 12:05:04 GMT

Bingo Astounding

Re: An array for trim function

sarahsasuser — Fri, 22 May 2015 13:38:12 GMT

Perhaps and could explain why character vs. numeric would make a difference in this case and what to do in the latter case? This is a character variable that I'm using in my example, but I'd be interested to know what I would need to change if I have a numeric variable in the future.