topic Re: sorting by columns in SAS Procedures

sorting by columns

podarum — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:19:00 GMT

Hi, I'm trying to use proc similarity (hope someone is familiar with it) and it needs sequential column variables, eg. Var1 Var2, Var3, ... Var1000, but when I sort it, it sorts as Var1, Var10, Var100, Var101, Var2, ... Var999... How can I keep the normal numbering system 1,2,3,...1000 .. If anyone knows proc similarity, I have 2 groupings that would duplicate the Date which is the ID variable. I'm trying to use a by statement in proc similarity but I'm getting an error that the ID (date) is duplicated from all these groups. Any suggestions, thanks.

Re: sorting by columns

art297 — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:22:23 GMT

I provided one possible solution in a different thread where you asked this question. I'm not familiar with proc similarity but, in order to make the variable values so that they sort correctly, use put(_n_,z4.) rather than just _n_.

That way you don't have to do anything extra in order to get it to sort as desired.

sorting by columns

podarum — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:08:17 GMT

Thanks art..

Re: sorting by columns

Tom — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:44:55 GMT

You can use variable lists in RENAME statement (or data set option) to add in the leading zeros.

data new ;

set old;

rename v1-v1000=v0001-v1000;

run;

proc XXXX data=old(rename=(v1-v1000=v0001-v1000));

....

Re: sorting by columns

Linlin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:01:10 GMT

Hi Tom,

I think that v1-v1000 are values of one variable of the OP's dateset, not v1-v1000 variables.