topic Re: A question about using "output out=" in SAS Programming

A question about using "output out="

mich_ard — Wed, 17 Aug 2016 20:14:43 GMT

I got a problem when I practise using "output out=" . The dataset I'm using is sashelp.shoes, which is about shoes sale in the world, and contains many different regions (africa, asia,europe ...). I want to make a table which can summerize the sales based on regions (africa, asia,europe ...), this is my codes:

proc means data= sashelp.shoes ;
var total sales ;

by region;
output out=Regional_sales SUM(total sales)=reginal_sales;

run;

but it didn't work, the log says:

ERROR: Variable TOTAL not found.

why ?

thanks.

Re: A question about using "output out="

Reeza — Wed, 17 Aug 2016 20:24:31 GMT

Because there's no variable called Total in SASHELP.SHOES.

Run a proc contents on your dataset to see the variable names.

Re: A question about using "output out="

Shmuel — Wed, 17 Aug 2016 20:30:03 GMT

There is no variable named "Total" in sashelp.shoes.

I should change in your program:

var sales;

output out=Regional_sales SUM(sales)=total_regional_sales;

Shmuel

Re: A question about using "output out="

ballardw — Wed, 17 Aug 2016 21:00:38 GMT

If you only want the output data set you might consider using Proc Summary or use the NOPRINT option with Proc Means to suppress the display tables.

Re: A question about using "output out="

mich_ard — Wed, 17 Aug 2016 21:05:26 GMT

Thank Reeza and Shmuel, your suggestions seem right, but still have some questions:

1, when I use PROC CONTENTS to check variable names, no "total sales" was found indeed, only saw "sales", but the dataset "sashelp.shoes" in my computer does clearly show "Total Sales" instead of "Sales" (see the attached picture 1).

2, when I used following codes as you suggested, it seemed working, which shows a table format exactly as I want, but the problem remains: "Total Sales" again, not the one I expected (ie, total_regional_sales) (picture 2).

proc means data= sashelp.shoes ;
var sales ;
by region;
output out=Regional_sales SUM(sales)=total_regional_sales;
run;

this problem seems bizzare, "Total Sales" seems very dominate in my computer, I wonder if my computer is virus infected.

any more idea?

thanks again. Mike

Re: A question about using "output out="

Reeza — Wed, 17 Aug 2016 21:11:03 GMT

Your mixing up a variable label and the variable name. Total sales is the variable label.

Proc contents will show the label and name.

Labels are used to control a variable display name in reports and such, names are used in coding and have more restrictions.

Re: A question about using "output out="

mich_ard — Wed, 17 Aug 2016 21:54:01 GMT

thanks master, you solved my problem.

Re: A question about using "output out="

mich_ard — Wed, 17 Aug 2016 22:22:16 GMT

yes, i tried it, works just like proc means(+noprint). thanks a lot.