sas if else not working when using parentheses

[eagles_dare13]

Why is this code giving error:

data test;

length a: $5;
a='2';
if a = '1' then  a ='a' ;
else (
a= 'b');
run;

ERROR: Undeclared array referenced: else.

I realise removing the parentheses will solve the issue, but i want to keep the parentheses for ease of understanding. Ultimately the else box will have many if else if conditions and the parentheses helps greatly.

[Reeza · Accepted solution]

SAS interprets that as else() which looks like an array.

You can use indenting to help with code understanding.

Addtionally for recoding you could use either a SELECT statement.

[eagles_dare13]

Thanks. Can you show with example what you mean by recoding with SELECT statement.

[Reeza]

From the docs:

SAS(R) 9.2 Language Reference: Dictionary, Fourth Edition

select (a);

  when (1) x=x*10;

  when (2);

  when (3,4,5) x=x*100;

  otherwise;

end;

PS. Personally I actually prefer proc format for recoding - my go to reference paper for that is "Proc Format: Not just another pretty face"

[Haikuo]

You can't use parentheses here. To format your code for better readability, use comments, indentation etc. For example here if you really want to group the part after 'else', try insert some comments where you tried parentheses, such as /**/.

When you do else (), SAS compiler will take 'else' as an array name, like indicated by the error message.

[ballardw]

This would have worked to reassign the value for A.

data test;

length a: $5;
a='2';
if a = '1' then  a ='a' ;
else a= 'b';
run;

Also a warning: (a='b') Could be a conditional value in other code locations.

C = (a='b'); will assign a value of 1 (typical value for "true" in SAS) to the variable C when a='b' and 0 when not equal.

[Tom]

You do not use () to group statements in SAS.  Use DO: ... END; blocks for that.

IF A='1' THEN DO;

....

END:

ELSE DO;

....

END;