simple if function doesn't work

[yliu1234]

data;
Business_Type = 'COMPANY';
party_type = 'individual';
if (Business_Type <> 'INDIVIDUAL' and party_type = 'individual')
then do;
party_type_FLAG="put "||COMPRESS(lowcase(Business_Type))||" as "||COMPRESS(party_type);
end;
else do; party_type_FLAG = 'match'; end;
run;

I expect this result, since the IF should return TRUE

Business_Type	party_type	party_type_FLAG
COMPANY	individual	put company as individual

However I got this result: 

[novinosrin · Accepted solution]

Your syntax <> deceived you-

333 if (Business_Type <> 'INDIVIDUAL' and party_type = 'individual')
NOTE: The "<>" operator is interpreted as "MAX".

Log:

329
330  data;
331  Business_Type = 'COMPANY';
332  party_type = 'individual';
333  if (Business_Type <> 'INDIVIDUAL' and party_type = 'individual')
NOTE: The "<>" operator is interpreted as "MAX".
334  then do;
335  party_type_FLAG="put "||COMPRESS(lowcase(Business_Type))||" as "||COMPRESS(party_type);
336  end;
337  else do; party_type_FLAG = 'match'; end;
338  run;

NOTE: Character values have been converted to numeric values at the places given by:
      (Line):(Column).
      333:19
NOTE: Invalid numeric data, 'INDIVIDUAL' , at line 333 column 19.
WARNING: Limit set by ERRORS= option reached.  Further errors of this type will not be printed.
Business_Type=COMPANY party_type=individual party_type_FLAG=match _ERROR_=1 _N_=1
NOTE: The data set WORK.DATA3 has 1 observations and 3 variables.
NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):
      real time           0.02 seconds
      cpu time            0.03 seconds

Try:

if (Business_Type ne 'INDIVIDUAL' and party_type = 'individual')

[yliu1234]

Have used to only read the log line that has errors. Glad to learn this new skill to read the log deeply.

[Astounding]

What are you imagining the <> comparison means?

In an IF statement in a DATA step, it's the MAX operator.  In PROC SQL, it's "not equal".  

Just spell out the comparison that you want.

[yliu1234]

Thank you. I wrote a lot of proc sql, too confidence of these operator, never think about it.

[PaigeMiller]

Maxim 2: read the log

A problem is clearly indicated. Fix that and your code will probably work.

[yliu1234]

Thanks!