How to copy labels over to new variables after recoding using macros?

[Tpham]

This is my code. I am recoding a bunch of variables (200 to be exact). I am using this code, because I was hoping to use the vlabel function, but sadly vlabel doesn't support labels with spaces and "-" in them.. it only supports numbers,digits and underscores. I am trying to figure out the easiest way to add the labels to my recoded variables. Can someone suggest something?

So in the example below. the label for olditem6_3_5 is "In the last 4 weeks, I ate apples."

Thus I want the label for item6_3_5 to be ""In the last 4 weeks, I ate apples. (recoded). 

My current code:

%macro recode (indata=,var=);
DATA _null_;
	SET &indata;
	array vars(*) &var;
	DO i=1 TO dim(vars);
		call symput("mvNAME"||strip(i),strip(vname(vars(i))));
		
	END;
	call symput("mvNB",strip(dim(vars)));
RUN;

%DO b=1 %TO &mvNB;
data &indata;
set &indata;

array oldtest(*) old&&mvNAME&b;
array newtest(*) &&mvNAME&b;
call symput("mvLAB"||strip(i),strip(vname(old&&mvNAME&b));

	DO z=1 TO dim(oldtest);
		newtest(z)=6-oldtest(z);
	END;

label &&mvNAME&b="&mvLAB (recoded)";

RUN;
%end;
%mend recode; 

%recode (indata=temp,var=item6_3_5);

[Reeza]

You're better off hitting the SASHELP.VCOLUMN to read the labels and create the new labels. 

Untested 

Proc SQL;

select catx('=', name, quote(label||' (recoded).')) into :new_label1-

from SASHELP.vcolumn 

where libname = 'WORK' and memname='CLASS';

quit;

%let num_vars=&sqlobs;

%macro rename;

proc datasets libname=work;

modify class;

label 

%do I = 1 %to &num_vars;

   %put &&new_label&i

%end;

;

run;

quit;

%mend;

[Tpham]

Hmm I am a bit confused on this. I'm quite new to macros. Can you clarify more on this?

I am unsure how can I create a new variable via recoding an old variable and copying the label from the old variable over to the new one.

[Reeza · Accepted solution]

This ONLY copies labels. Recoding requires no macros. 

You generally cant create and use a macro variable in the same step so your label logic is incorrect. 

The example here (#3) demonstrates how to recode a variable using an array. 

http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/sas/seminars/SAS_arrays/#new_vars

The logic to create the label statement is to query the Sashelp.vcolumn dataset. If you're no familiar with it, I would suggest opening it up and perusing it. 

The SQL query creates n macro variables of the form

variableName = 'label value' 

In PROC datasets we loop through these macro variables to get the appropriate label statement. 

A label statement is of the form, where you can specify multiple variables at once. 

LABEL variableName = 'label value' ... ;

with macro variavles this becomes

LABEL Macrovariable1 macrovariable2 ...macrovariableN 

[Ksharp]

data have;
 set sashelp.class(keep=weight height);
 label weight='xxxxxx' height='yyyyyy';
run;
data new;
 set have;
 new_weight=weight+10;
 new_height=height+10;
run;
proc transpose data=have(obs=0) out=temp;
var weight height;
run;

data _NULL_;
 set temp end=last;
 if _n_=1 then call execute('proc datasets library=work nolist nodetails; modify new;label');
 call execute(cats('new_',_name_,'="',_label_,'"'));
 if last then call execute(';quit;');
run;