how to create new variables based on information from old variables?

[littlestone]

Suppose I have following codes:

data new;

set old;

array old_var_array

_CHARACTER_;

..................(codes to be inserted)

..................(codes to be inserted)

..................(codes to be inserted)

..................(codes to be inserted)

..................

..................

Based on number of character variables ( which can be obtained using dim(old_var_array) in the above example), I want to create equal number of new variables (NewVar1-NewVar#ofChar). How can I do this? thanks.

[art297 · Accepted solution]

Take a look at the method I suggested in a post the other day:

http://communities.sas.com/message/104323#104323

[littlestone]

Thank you very much.The code you gave to me works perfectly for me

By the way, I find another way that can also do the job. Here is the code (I am not sure if this method is considered professional or not):

data _Null_;

set old;

array stringvar

_CHARACTER_;

NumofCVar = dim(stringvar) ;

call SYMPUTX('NumOfCVar',NumOfCVar);

run;

data new;

set old;

array old_var_array

_CHARACTER_;

array _NewVar[&NumofCVar] NewVar1-NewVar&NumofCVar;

..............

[art297]

Looks almost sufficiently professional enough to me for whatever that is worth.  However, I would simplify the first step so that you don't read through all of the records.  e.g.:

data _Null_;

  set have;

  if _n_ eq 1 then do;

    array stringvar

_CHARACTER_;

    NumofCVar = dim(stringvar) ;

    call SYMPUTX('NumOfCVar',NumOfCVar);

  end;

  stop;

run;

[littlestone]

thanks a lot for suggestion

[Ksharp]

dictionary tables already contains the number of character variables.

proc sql ;

select num_character

  from dictionary.tables

   where libname='SASHELP' and memname='CLASS';

quit;

Ksharp

[littlestone]

thank you Ksharp. I actually didn't know there exists "dictionary tables". It is such a wonderful tool.