topic Re: Renaming Column during Proc Import in SAS Procedures

Renaming Column during Proc Import

Pritish — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 03:26:20 GMT

Hi,

I am having a big dataset with more than 50+ columns in Excel format. Column names are perfect but bit complicated so I thought of renaming the column name.

Can we rename column during the Proc Import procedure. Or do I need to create new dataset and use rename keyword ?

Please let me know and thanks in advance.

Re: Renaming Column during Proc Import

DataShare — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 05:58:53 GMT

Check this

proc import
datafile="&ExcelFile"
out=ExcelDataSet ( rename=Col1=ColumnOne)
dbms=EXCEL;
DBSASLABEL=NO;
run;

Re: Renaming Column during Proc Import

Pritish — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 17:53:51 GMT

Hi,

I tried to use the code you provided. But it seems that there is no keyword DBSASLABEL in SAS. Are you refering to the keyword GetNames ?

Re: Renaming Column during Proc Import

DataShare — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 13:21:00 GMT

Are you trying this with DBMS=EXCEL ?

Re: Renaming Column during Proc Import

Patrick — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:02:19 GMT

Even though I like coding a lot I would use Enterprise Guide for such a task (if it's a once off job).

The import wizard creates all the code you need and you can also change column names and attributes in one of the steps (think it's step 3).

HTH
Patrick

Re: Renaming Column during Proc Import

LittlesasMaster — Fri, 22 Jul 2016 04:50:54 GMT

you can simply use rename option , check this

proc import datafile="&file"
out=want(rename=(col11=new_var col22=new_var2))
dbms=xlsx replace;
getnames=yes;
run;

Re: Renaming Column during Proc Import

MikeFranz — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 20:32:30 GMT

So it seems like by using the "GETNAMES = YES" option, I was forcing SAS to create silly names that I was unable to reference. I was being silly, an easy work around was to change GETNAMES to NO, and then just rename the columns manually (there were only 26 columns, so it wasn't too bad.

Many thanks to everyone for their input.

Mike

Re: Renaming Column during Proc Import

CraigM — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 23:02:34 GMT

You can do this inline with the PROC IMPORT statement if you would like to.

On the OUT line:

OUT=Library.Name (rename=VAR1=Column1 rename=VAR2=Column2 ... rename=VAR(N)=Column(N))

This has changed apparently from Col1 in the past to VAR1 currenlty in SAS 9.4.