I am not using INFILE for the first time and having trouble modifying dataset to create model

[ameliasalem]

Being new to all this - I want my data set tidy until I am comfortable - super time consuming.

[Tom]

Make sure to tell PROC IMPORT where it can store the formats (what STATA calls "value" labels).

libname mylib '/home/xxxxxxx/sasuser.v94';
proc import out=mylib.mydata 
  datafile='/home/xxxxxxx/2019 ASR_Public_Use_File.dta' dbms=DTA replace
;
  fmtlib=mylib.myformats;
run;

Then make sure you tell SAS how to FIND those new formats so they can be used when you use the dataset.

options append=(fmtsearch=(mylib.myformats));

Also make sure to look at the dataset so you can see how PROC IMPORT converted the STATA file into a dataset.

proc contents data=mylib.myformats varnum;
run;

[ameliasalem]

This seemed like solid advise and I STARTED writing it into my CODE but a colleague recommended the code that I ended up using for now (see response to other user above) and since it was straightforward for him, I'm going to see how far I can get with this + filtering out values of variables that I don't want. Will give this a go if current approach doesn't work.