topic Re: Merging variables in SAS Programming

Merging variables

jenim514 — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 17:54:01 GMT

Hi! I merged two data sets by Patient ID, but realized two variables (PatDOB, PatDOB1) were named differently but both serve as birthddate. So, now half values are under PATDOB1 and others under PATDOB. They are both formatted same (mmddyy10.), so is there a way to move all values in PATDOB1 to PATDOB and then delete the variable PATDOB1?

Thanks!!

Re: Merging variables

kannand — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 18:03:24 GMT

If you don't have a risk of over-writing one date with another, then just use an assignment statement and drop the unwanted variable, the simplest I can think of....

Re: Merging variables

PGStats — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 18:06:43 GMT

PATDOB = coalesce(PATDOB, PATDOB1);

coalesce returns the first argument that is not missing.

Re: Merging variables

jenim514 — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 18:09:49 GMT

@PGStats Thank you!