How to transfer values from one variable to another in context of missing data

[bretthouston]

SAS beginner using SAS Studio interface. I have the following sample dataset, and I'm having difficulties with the last step of the code:

Obs     Color                            Default

1          Blue                              Other

2          Teal                               Other

3          Teal                               Other

4          Yellow                           Other

5          Orange                         Other

data work.adjcolor;

set library.color;

if Color="Blue" or Color="Teal" then Adj_color="Blue;

else adj_color=default

run;

Adj_color is a new column I've created. What I would like to do is say "if adj_color" is missing/empty, then input values from 'default' into 'adj_color'." (So Adj_color when completed would have obs 1-5 'blue, blue, other, other, other'.'

I realize this is likely very basic, but I haven't been able to figure this out. Any help would be much much appreciated! Thanks in advance! 

[ChrisBrooks · Accepted solution]

Hi @bretthouston and welcome to the community.

I'm not sure I see the problem here as the code you've got works for empty strings too (I also think given your logic observation number 3 should have adj_color as "Blue" not "Other").

Here's the example data I used

data have;
	infile datalines dlm="," dsd missover truncover;
	length color $6 default $6;
	input color default;
datalines;
"Blue","Other"
"Teal","Other"
"Teal","Other"
"Yellow","Other"
"Orange","Other"
"","Other"
;
run;

data want;
	length adj_color $6;
	set have;
	if color="Blue" or color="Teal" then adj_color="Blue";
	else adj_color=default;
run;

If I've misunderstood what you want please let us know