SAS Tip: Check if a variable exists in a dataset

SAS_Tipster — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 20:31:46 GMT

Have you ever needed to know if a given variable is in a SAS data set? This macro returns 1 if a variable exists in a data set, and 0 if not.

%macro VarExist(ds, var);
    %local rc dsid result;
    %let dsid = %sysfunc(open(&ds));
 
    %if %sysfunc(varnum(&dsid, &var)) > 0 %then %do;
        %let result = 1;
        %put NOTE: Var &var exists in &ds;
    %end;
    %else %do;
        %let result = 0;
        %put NOTE: Var &var not exists in &ds;
    %end;
 
    %let rc = %sysfunc(close(&dsid));
    &result
%mend VarExist;
 
/* Usage */
%put %VarExist(sashelp.class, name);
%put %VarExist(sashelp.class, aaa);

This tip was originally posted by Adrien Vallee on sasCommunity.org.

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SAS Tip: Check if a variable exists in a dataset