topic The "VAR" statement in proc means not detecting column labels in SAS Procedures

The "VAR" statement in proc means not detecting column labels

SASs33ker — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:15:51 GMT

Hi,

I have a data table where the sorting has been done on a char8 column successfully.

Now, I would like to do a proc means on the table, but when I get to the VAR statement, the variable column lable doesn't appear from the selection.

I have done the exact same procedure before, but I'm puzzled by why the program no longer detects the column of interest in the "VAR" statement.

Any ideas?

The "VAR" statement in proc means not detecting column labels

Tom — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 21:59:10 GMT

What drop down are you talking about? Are you using Enterprise Guide?

The "VAR" statement in proc means not detecting column labels

SASs33ker — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 01:04:24 GMT

Yes, I am using enterprise guide.

You know when you after you've written "VAR" the Enterprise Guide prompts you to choose from columns to do the means calculations on?

It's like filling in argument(s) in Excel formula.

I suspect it has to do with the data type of the column, which is char8, but it should not matter. (All columns contains text values except the numeric column where the average calculation is done)

Has anybody else ran into the same problem?

Thanks

The "VAR" statement in proc means not detecting column labels

Tom — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 01:08:20 GMT

You cannot take the mean of a character variable.

You can use them in a CLASS statement. Did you try that?

Re: The "VAR" statement in proc means not detecting column labels

SASs33ker — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 01:14:20 GMT

Oh.....right...

I've missed the fact that what's after the "VAR" are columns on which arithmetic average are done, which require them to be numeric.

btw, how would you write it using a CLASS statement?

Thank you