topic Re: SAS HELP in SAS Procedures

SAS HELP

sasbegginer — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:43:07 GMT

Hi i am using sas and need help on construction a new URN. I currently have a URN field which is populated with 1_1urn, 1_2urn, 1_3urn etc..now everytime the code is run i need the urn to increment by 1..so the next time it is run the urn is 2_1urn, 2_2urn, 2_3urn and if run again 3_1urn, 3_2urn etc..any ideas..i am having trouble storing the incremented value. At the moment iv got

urn = 1
urn = urn + 1

everytime this is run it read the 1 i need a way to store the new urn value and so it doesnt read the 1...Do i need to create another table?? Also is there a easier way of doing this in DI studio?

Re: SAS HELP

sbb — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:44:57 GMT

You could create a permanent table; read it and update with each execution and store back the new "incremented" value. You would need to consider possibly how to deal with reruns - not sure about your requirement?

Scott Barry
SBBWorks, Inc.

Re: SAS HELP

sasbegginer — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:22:27 GMT

Sorry i don't understand what you mean...I have data which i get regular new loads and so i need to update the load number automatically from 1, 2, 3 etc. I then append this in to the URN. I just ned a way of updating 1 to 2 and then 2 to 3 everytime the code is submited

Re: SAS HELP

sbb — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:16:33 GMT

Your idea of tracking a "current load number" across runs could be maintained as a permanent SAS dataset (you must create it in advance and prime it to start), which you process each time your program runs, as follows:

1) Using a DATA step, read the SAS file that has your variable to track the current "load number", and issue a CALL SYMPUT to assign a SAS macro variable with +1 from your "load number" variable.

2) Use the macro variable created in #1 above to update your database variable(s) as required.

3) When processing is finished, store back the new "current load number" into your permanent SAS dataset.

Scott Barry
SBBWorks, Inc.

Re: SAS HELP

sasbegginer — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:27:41 GMT

Ok so i have created a dataset which had a looks like this

ID
1

I have looked at the CALL SYMPUT in the help files and have tried to implement it but cant get it right...also how would i store the current load number back?

Re: SAS HELP

sbb — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:43:24 GMT

Please share what SAS code you have executing which doesn't provide the SYMPUT correctly, preferably in an executed SAS log (COPY/PASTE into a post-reply).

Also, for your own debugging, consider using the SAS command(s) below to display your user-assigned macro variables -- and there are considerations for GLOBAL versus LOCAL macro variables depending on whether or not you are using the SAS MACRO language:

%PUT _USER_;
...or...
%PUT _LOCAL_;
%PUT _GLOBAL_;

And for diagnosing your SAS program, you will want to activate as much SAS-generate compilation/processing output directed to your SAS log, using the command:

OPTIONS SOURCE SOURCE2 MACROGEN /* SYMBOLGEN */ MPRINT;

And, you would use the macro variable from the SYMPUT to assign the ID variable a new/replacement value in a DATA step, writing back to your permanent SAS data library member used for tracking.

Scott Barry
SBBWorks, Inc.

SAS Macro Language: Reference - Scope of Macro Variables:
http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/mcrolref/61885/HTML/default/a002047080.htm

SAS Macro Language: Reference - Introduction to the Macro Facility
http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/mcrolref/61885/HTML/default/a002293969.htm

SAS Macro Programming for Beginners
Susan J. Slaughter, Avocet Solutions, Davis, CA
Lora D. Delwiche, Delwiche Consulting, Winters, CA
http://www2.sas.com/proceedings/sugi29/243-29.pdf

Re: SAS HELP

sasbegginer — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:11:49 GMT

Ok, i have now fixed sas code i have just been playing around with the SYMPUT function..being new to SAS i havent fully got my head around macros...

Re: SAS HELP

sasbegginer — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:43:07 GMT

Sorry i ment...
Ok, i have no fixed sas code i have just been playing around with the SYMPUT function..being new to SAS i havent fully got my head around macros...

Re: SAS HELP

sbb — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:44:20 GMT

I would not recommend using macros if you don't have to. The macro variable discussion / documentation occurs within the SAS Macro Language discussion though.

Scott Barry
SBBWorks, Inc.

Re: SAS HELP

Flip — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:21:38 GMT

Very quick and dirty: But it may give you a starting point.

data urn;
u = 1;
output;
run;

data two;
do i = 3 to 7;
output;
end;
run;

data three urn(keep = u) ;
retain urn;
merge two(in = t) end = eof urn;
if _n_ = 1 then urn = u;
urn = urn + 1;

if t then output three;
if eof then do u = urn; output urn; end;
run;