topic Using a loop to perform a set of steps on each unique value for a given variable? in SAS Procedures

Using a loop to perform a set of steps on each unique value for a given variable?

AvocadoRivalry — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 19:27:07 GMT

Hi all,

I have a field called CLIENT_NAME that has several different entries that can change depending on the dataset I'm feeding in. Because there is room for variation, using a macro to define the CLIENT_NAME values I want to use won't work each time. Is there a way to use a DO statement to create a loop that will go through every single unique value for a given variable? For instance, if I have 26 Client Names in a given dataset, the DO statement would run through the associated block of code 26 times, ultimately producing 26 datasets.

Thanks!

Using a loop to perform a set of steps on each unique value for a given variable?

Tom — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 19:42:25 GMT

Normally to generate multiple datasets you will need to use some type of code generation tool. Either SAS macro code or you can do it yourself with a data step and a %INC.

filename code temp;

data _null_;

set have ;

by client_name ;

if first.client_name;

file code;

where = quote(trim(client_name));

put 'data split_' client_name ';'

/ ' set have;'

/ ' where client_name=' where ';'

/ 'run;'

;

run;

%inc code / source2 ;

Using a loop to perform a set of steps on each unique value for a given variable?

art297 — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 19:57:21 GMT

If the goal is to create separate datasets, and then deal with each separately, why not use a hash? e.g.:

data _null_ ;
  dcl hash hh   (             ) ;
  hh.definekey  ('k'          ) ;
  hh.definedata ('sex', 'name', 'age', 'height', 'weight') ;
  hh.definedone () ;
  do until(mod(k,5)=0 or last);
    k+1;
    set sashelp.class end=last ;
    hh.add();
  end;
  hh.output(dataset: 'a'||strip(k));
run;