topic Retain and Label during Data Import stage in SAS Programming

Retain and Label during Data Import stage

mlogan — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 19:01:22 GMT

Hi All,

I have the following spreadsheet I want to import. During the import stage I also want to Rename, Retain and Label the column. Is it possible to implement all three functions during the import stage? Thanks

ID Name1 Name2 Title1 Title2
1234 Alex Michael 23 New York St. (123) 563-2541
5678 John Jacob 202-74th St. 123-585-4785
3456 Heather-Bin Tornoway 220- 35th Ave. (123)4587458
2345 Megan-Fitzam Hansen 9 Huron st. (123)4587458
;
run;

I came up with the following code:

proc import datafile="C:\Have.xlsx"
dbms=xlsx replace
out=Want (RENAME=(ID=St_ID Name1=First_name Name2=Last_name Title1=Address) keep = ID Name1 Name2 Title1);
sheet='Sheet1';
run;

Expected Output:

St_ID    First_name Last_name Address
1234 Alex Michael 23 New York St.
5678 John Jacob 202-74th St.
3456 Heather-Bin Tornoway 220- 35th Ave.
2345 Megan-Fitzam Hansen 9 Huron st.

Re: Retain and Label during Data Import stage

ballardw — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 19:16:53 GMT

Save the spreadsheet as a CSV file. Use Proc import to generate a basic datastep to read the data, copy the code from the log and add any changes desired. For instance to a search and replace on the default variable names to the name you want. Add label code.

I'm not quite sure what you want to "retain" but since this is a data step you can any datastep code you desire.

If you are happy with the contents of your data and just need to change names and add labels then Proc Datasets is the tool designed to do both to a set in place without re-reading any data or creating an additional dataset.

Re: Retain and Label during Data Import stage

FreelanceReinh — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 19:29:12 GMT

Hi @mlogan,

You can also insert a LABEL statement into the PROC IMPORT step:

label St_ID      = 'Student ID'
      First_name = 'First name'
/* ... */
;

Re: Retain and Label during Data Import stage

mlogan — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 19:36:54 GMT

Hi ballardw, by retain I want to rearange the variables (columns).

Re: Retain and Label during Data Import stage

mlogan — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 19:47:59 GMT

After renaming the dataset during import stage, it still keep the LABEL as it was in the excel spreadsheet. I wanted to keep label same as my new variable name (after renaming).

Re: Retain and Label during Data Import stage

mlogan — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 19:48:56 GMT

I wanted to keep label same as my new variable name (after renaming).

Re: Retain and Label during Data Import stage

FreelanceReinh — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 20:15:11 GMT

@mlogan wrote:
After renaming the dataset during import stage, it still keep the LABEL as it was in the excel spreadsheet. I wanted to keep label same as my new variable name (after renaming).

Are you saying that the LABEL statement in PROC IMPORT is not effective? (I cannot test it with dbms=xlsx, unfortunately, because I don't have Excel installed, but it works with dbms=dlm.)

Also, wouldn't labels equal to the variable names add only little value since in most cases variable names would be used anyway by default for display if no labels were present (so you could simply remove all labels)?

As to the order of variables in the dataset (which is rarely relevant), I would be surprised if this could be arranged with PROC IMPORT alone. No problem, of course, with a data step reading the raw data.

Re: Retain and Label during Data Import stage

mlogan — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 20:27:47 GMT

How do I remove all labels from the sas dataset?

Re: Retain and Label during Data Import stage

FreelanceReinh — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 20:31:00 GMT

Use the following statement (it works even in my PROC IMPORT step):

attrib _all_ label=' ';

Re: Retain and Label during Data Import stage

mlogan — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 20:40:17 GMT

Where in import step you put that in, would you please show it ihere:

proc import datafile="C:\Have.xlsx"
dbms=xlsx replace
out=Want (RENAME=(ID=St_ID Name1=First_name Name2=Last_name Title1=Address) keep = ID Name1 Name2 Title1);
sheet='Sheet1';
run;

Re: Retain and Label during Data Import stage

FreelanceReinh — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 20:42:01 GMT

I'd put it just before the RUN statement.

Re: Retain and Label during Data Import stage

mlogan — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 20:47:14 GMT

Not working right before RUN, tried other places too. have you tried from your end? Thanks,

Re: Retain and Label during Data Import stage

FreelanceReinh — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 20:51:18 GMT

I have it right before RUN. Do you receive error messages or in which way does your step fail?

Re: Retain and Label during Data Import stage

mlogan — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 15:34:53 GMT

Thanks Reinhard, It worked for me. The 'Attrib' was showing up with red color and I thought SAS is not accepting it:) Thanks for the help.

Re: Retain and Label during Data Import stage

FreelanceReinh — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 15:40:26 GMT

Glad to hear that it worked. I was also surprised by the incorrect syntax highlighting in this case.