topic Re: Couting total numeric variables and character variables in SAS Procedures

Couting total numeric variables and character variables

rockerd — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 08:47:13 GMT

Hi all,

This is my first post in this forum. It is just out of curiousness to learn.

I want to

1. Count how many of the variables in a data set are numeric and how many are character

2. Create a two different files; file 1 containing only numeric variables and file 2 containing only character variables.

I know we can use the function vtype() to find out if a variable is char or numeric ..

But, if you have thousand variables then how would you do it without having to know the name of that variable...

I thought of using an array .. but then an array can be either char or numeric so using an array is out of question I think...

Thank you,

Rockerd.

Re: Couting total numeric variables and character variables

DataShare — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 10:30:20 GMT

Try this,
proc contents data=libname.datasetname out=Column_Name_Type(keep = NAME TYPE) noprint;
run;
it will create a dataset with all column names and their types.

Re: Couting total numeric variables and character variables

data_null__ — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:48:26 GMT

You will want to consult the documentation for "SAS Variable Lists".
http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/lrcon/62955/HTML/default/viewer.htm#/documentation/cdl/en/lrcon/62955/HTML/default/a000695105.htm

> 1. Count how many of the variables in a data set are
> numeric and how many are character

You can use PROC CONTENTS as suggested or the dictionary tables or in a data step as

[pre]
548 data _null_;
549 if 0 then set sashelp.shoes;
550 array _n

_numeric_;
551 array _c

_char_;
552 n=dim(_n);
553 c=dim(_c);
554 putlog 'NOTE: ' n= c=;
555 stop;
556 run;

NOTE: n=4 c=3
[/pre]

> 2. Create a two different files; file 1 containing
> only numeric variables and file 2 containing only
> character variables.
>
> I know we can use the function vtype() to find out if
> a variable is char or numeric ..
>
> But, if you have thousand variables then how would
> you do it without having to know the name of that
> variable...

Again using a "SAS Variable List".

[pre]
580 data num(keep=_numeric_) chr(keep=_char_);
581 set sashelp.class;
582 run;

NOTE: There were 19 observations read from the data set SASHELP.CLASS.
NOTE: The data set WORK.NUM has 19 observations and 3 variables.
NOTE: The data set WORK.CHR has 19 observations and 2 variables.

[/pre]

Re: Couting total numeric variables and character variables

rockerd — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:17:53 GMT

Thank you for the reply.

I had used _numeric_ in the past but never realized it could be used here as well

I guess your solution is a good way to get around this