A question about using "output out="

[mich_ard]

Hi

I got a problem when I practise using  "output out=" . The dataset I'm using is sashelp.shoes, which is about shoes sale in the world, and contains many different regions (africa, asia,europe ...). I want to make a table which can summerize the sales based on regions (africa, asia,europe ...), this is my codes:

proc means data= sashelp.shoes ;
var total sales ;

by region;
output out=Regional_sales SUM(total sales)=reginal_sales;

run;

but it didn't work, the log says: 

ERROR: Variable TOTAL not found.

why ?

thanks.

[Reeza]

Because there's no variable called Total in SASHELP.SHOES.

Run a proc contents on your dataset to see the variable names.

[Shmuel]

There is no variable named "Total" in sashelp.shoes.

I should change in your program:

var sales;

output out=Regional_sales SUM(sales)=total_regional_sales;

Shmuel

[ballardw]

If you only want the output data set you might consider using Proc Summary or use the NOPRINT option with Proc Means to suppress the display tables.

[mich_ard]

yes, i tried it, works just like proc means(+noprint). thanks a lot.

[mich_ard]

Thank Reeza and Shmuel, your suggestions seem right, but still have some questions:

1, when I  use PROC CONTENTS to check variable names, no "total sales" was found indeed, only saw "sales", but the dataset "sashelp.shoes" in my computer does clearly show "Total Sales" instead of "Sales" (see the attached picture 1).

2, when I used following codes as you suggested, it seemed working, which shows a table format exactly as I want, but the problem remains: "Total Sales" again, not the one I expected (ie, total_regional_sales) (picture 2).

proc means data= sashelp.shoes ;
var sales ;
by region;
output out=Regional_sales SUM(sales)=total_regional_sales;
run;

this problem seems bizzare, "Total Sales" seems very dominate in my computer, I wonder if my computer is virus infected.

any more idea?

thanks again. Mike

[Reeza · Accepted solution]

Your mixing up a variable label and the variable name. Total sales is the variable label.  

Proc contents will show the label and name.

Labels are used to control a variable display name in reports and such, names are used in coding and have more restrictions. 

[mich_ard]

thanks master, you solved my problem.