Can anyone kindly please explain about this syntax as what it does?

[GN0001]

Hello team,

I have this:

proc sql;
select counts (*) into: avariableName from mytable;
quit;

Respectfully,

blue & blue

[mkeintz]

Search on the web for URL that contain the three words "sas sql into".

The first link the appeared for my search was

SAS(R) 9.3 SQL Procedure User's Guide 

[ballardw]

Actually I suspect it does nothing except throw an error because there is no function COUNTS.

Using a data set I know exists:

109  proc sql;
110  select counts (*) into: avariableName
111  from sashelp.class;
ERROR: * used for a function other than COUNT.
ERROR: Function COUNTS could not be located.
112  quit;

Using the function Count, that does exist:

113  proc sql;
114  select count (*) into: avariableName
115  from sashelp.class;
116  quit;
NOTE: PROCEDURE SQL used (Total process time):
      real time           0.00 seconds
      cpu time            0.00 seconds


117
118  %put The macro variable Avariablename=&avariablename.;
The macro variable Avariablename=      19

---

@GN0001 wrote:

Hello team,

I have this:

proc sql;
select counts (*) into: avariableName from mytable;
quit;

Respectfully,

blue & blue

---

Count(*) basically counts observations

[Kurt_Bremser]

Using COUNT(*) causes SQL to read the whole dataset; it is much better (faster) to query the dataset metadata:

proc sql noprint;
select nobs (*) into: avariableName
from dictionary.tables
where libname = "WORK" and memname = "MYTABLE";
quit;

[Tom]

What part don't you understand?

PROC SQL?

SELECT?

COUNT() function?
COUNT(*)?

INTO?

:?

FROM?

What do you think it does from the context of the program where it was used?