topic Re: Merging data in SAS Programming

Merging data

hovliza — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 12:20:27 GMT

When I want to merge 6 datasets to one dataset like this:

*Merge datasets*;
DATA m.combined;
MERGE 	m.dataset1
	m.dataset2
	m.dataset3
	m.dataset4 
	m.dataset5
	m.dataset6; 
BY personnumber;
RUN;

Why do I get in my output table 3 times the same measurements for my personnumber like this:

Personnumber	Gender	Heigth	Weight
1	1	167	56
1	1	167	56
1	1	167	56
2	1	188	78
2	1	188	78
2	1	188	78
3	2	190	102
3	2	190	102
3	2	190	102

I want to merge it like this:

Personnumber	Gender	Heigth	Weight
1	1	167	56
2	1	188	78
3	2	190	102

There are no errors, so can someone please help? Thanks!

Re: Merging data

Kurt_Bremser — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 12:57:11 GMT

It's in the data. Please post your datasets (in data steps).

Re: Merging data

hovliza — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 13:03:07 GMT

What do you mean? I can't post my whole dataset here..

Re: Merging data

Astounding — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 13:07:09 GMT

One of your incoming data sets (OK, possibly more than one) already contains multiple observations for each PERSONNUMBER. You have to fix that data set first (again, possibly more than one data set to fix) if you want to end up with one observation apiece.

If you think it's legitimate that one of your incoming data sets contains multiple observations per personnumber, then you need to decide what should happen with those ... how can your input contain many, but your output only one? What is the process to go through to narrow down the observations?

Re: Merging data

Kurt_Bremser — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 13:07:39 GMT

Just post the data (in all datasets) for persons 1, 2 and 3 (as mentioned in your original question).