How to avoid deleting the entire data set when making a new variable

[Diana__]

Hello,

I'm having trouble with making a new variable that will count the 'correct' answers in the first 17 questions on a survey. Whenever I use this code:

Data HW4set;
If 1 = p1p then Correct=correct+1;
If 1 = p2p then Correct=correct+1;
Run;

It just deletes all the data from the set. It turns the set from this:

to this:

Which I don't understand, it hasn't worked with various attempts, and it won't even make a variable that is constant such as:

DATA HW4set;
Always6=6;
Run;

It just erases the data set again, even though I got it straight from an example. There are no errors displayed either, it only says that p1p and p2p are uninitialized.

[SASKiwi · Accepted solution]

Your program doesn't read any data, just writes data out. I suspect you need to do something like this:

DATA HW4set;
set Mylib.Hw4;
Always6=6;
Run;

[PaigeMiller]

Data HW4set;
Set HW4set;
If 1 = p1p then Correct=correct+1;
If 1 = p2p then Correct=correct+1;
Run;

Without the set statement, the data step doesn't know and doesn't care that there was a previous data set named HW4set.