topic Re: Need help creating a new column with text (SAS Visual Analytics 8.5) in SAS Visual Analytics

Need help creating a new column with text (SAS Visual Analytics 8.5)

BarryP — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 16:37:00 GMT

Hi all,

I'm on version 8.5 V.03.05

I'm trying to create a new column that denotes whether or not a DEVICE is classified as an 'Instrument'. I'm struggling to get the syntax correct. This is what I have:

Step 1: Select Data
Step 2: Select + new data Item
Step 3: Select Calculated Item
Step 4: Write script

'DEVICE'n contains 'Instrument'

I get an error message:

X Type mismatch: expected type at this location is Character, type of item being applied is Boolean

Thanks for the help!

Re: Need help creating a new column with text (SAS Visual Analytics 8.5)

BarryP — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 20:41:49 GMT

I think I figured it out:

IF ( 'DEVICE'n = 'Instrument' )
RETURN 1
ELSE 0

Re: Need help creating a new column with text (SAS Visual Analytics 8.5)

Sam_SAS — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 18:39:32 GMT

Hi Barry,

Glad you were able to get it working. If you have more values that you need to deal with, you will find that the IN condition is useful.

Another approach is to create a custom category, which will be more of a "click and drag" experience and less a coding one. Each way has its pros and cons. If you are creating more than a boolean/binary assignment, the nested IF statements in the calculated item approach can get tedious.

Sam