proc sort with weird by statement

[htsull_]

Hi all,

I'm a new SAS user and I bumped into this snippet of code the other day and I'm trying to figure out why the by statment is like this:

PROC SORT DATA=DATA NODUPKEY;
	BY 'N°CLIENT'N;
RUN;

What exactly the 'variable'n do?

Thanks for your reply.

[ballardw · Accepted solution]

When you see a variable name like that it is a "name literal" and allows, when the option VALIDVARNAME=ANY is set, to use names that do not follow the standard SAS naming rules for variables. This option was added mostly for use with external databases that use different naming rules.

What the variable actually "does" is no different than any other variable. I just is referenced in code differently.

[yabwon]

#maxim1: 

https://documentation.sas.com/doc/en/pgmsascdc/9.4_3.5/lepg/p0z9rbr2w2vtd1n1q8lty9b13iv3.htm

😉

Bart