Concatenate multiple rows of text to one row

[Jeff_DOC]

Good morning. 

I am attempting to concatenate rows of data from multiple line onto one line. I can't see to get this work. I've deconstructed it to see if I can tell what's going on but I can't see to locate the error. What I end up with is a single line per ID_NUMBER with only the first comment. I don't get the subsequent concatenations for the same ID_NUMBER. 

I'm sure there must be a better way to do this but I'm trying to understand how such a data step works.

HAVE
ID_NUMBER	COMMENT_NUMBER	COMMENT_SEQUENCE_NUMBER	INCOMING_COMMENT
1	10	1	This person has four lines
1	10	2	on their comment. I would like all four
1	10	3	on the same line.
1	10	4	This is the final line for this comment.
1	15	1	Jack and Jill went up the
1	15	2	hill to fetch a pail
1	15	3	of water.
2	16	1	I wish the sky was purple
2	17	1	If the sky was purple can you
2	17	2	imagine the sunsets?
3	22	1	Sand paintings are the best.
3	22	2	You can always get a different
3	22	3	view by changing the orientation.
3	22	4	Just tip the picture and BAM!
3	22	5	You get a brand new landscape
WANT
ID_NUMBER	COMMENT_NUMBER		INCOMING_COMMENT
1	10		This person has four lines on their comment. I would like all four on the same line. This is the final line for this comment.
1	15		Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water of water.
2	16		I wish the sky was purple
2	17		If the sky was purple can you imagine the sunsets?
2	22		Sand paintings are the best. You can always get a different view by changing the orientation. Just tip the picture and BAM! You get a brand new landscape

Thanks very much if someone has the time to help out.

data want (keep = id_number w_comment);
	set have (rename=(id_number = in_id_number comment_sequence_number = in_comment_sequence_number comment_line = in_comment))
		end = eof_input;
	length w_comment $ 1000;
	retain id_number comment_sequence_number comment_line w_comment;
	/*Initialize the output (retained) columns and return to top of data step.*/
	if _n_ = 1 then do;
		id_number = in_id_number;
		comment_sequence_number = in_comment_sequence_number;
		comment_line = in_comment;
		w_comment = in_comment;
		return;
	end;
	if id_number = in_id_number and comment_sequence_number = in_comment_sequence_number then do;
		w_comment = catx(", ", w_comment, in_comment);
	end;
	if in_id_number > id_number then do;
		output;
		id_number = in_id_number;
		comment_sequence_number = in_comment_sequence_number;
		comment_line = in_comment;
		w_comment = in_comment;
		return;
	end;
	/*At end of file on input file write out the last retained record of data.*/
	if eof_input then output;
run;

[yabwon]

like this?

data HAVE;
infile cards4 dlm="|";
input ID_NUMBER COMMENT_NUMBER COMMENT_SEQUENCE_NUMBER INCOMING_COMMENT : $ 100.;
cards4;
1|10|1|This person has four lines
1|10|2|on their comment. I would like all four
1|10|3|on the same line.
1|10|4|This is the final line for this comment.
1|15|1|Jack and Jill went up the
1|15|2|hill to fetch a pail
1|15|3|of water.
2|16|1|I wish the sky was purple
2|17|1|If the sky was purple can you
2|17|2|imagine the sunsets?
3|22|1|Sand paintings are the best.
3|22|2|You can always get a different
3|22|3|view by changing the orientation.
3|22|4|Just tip the picture and BAM!
3|22|5|You get a brand new landscape
;;;;
run;
proc print;
run;

data want(rename=(IC = INCOMING_COMMENT));
  set HAVE;
  by ID_NUMBER COMMENT_NUMBER;
  retain IC;
  length IC $ 32767;

  if first.COMMENT_NUMBER then IC = " ";

  ic = catx(" ", ic, INCOMING_COMMENT);

  if last.COMMENT_NUMBER then output;

  drop INCOMING_COMMENT COMMENT_SEQUENCE_NUMBER;
run;
proc print;
run;

Bart

[Reeza · Accepted solution]

There's two common methods of doing this, one is using a data step and the second is to transpose.

You have two BY variables, so just make sure to have both in your BY statement. 

*create sample data for demonstration;
data have;
    infile cards dlm='09'x;
    input OrgID Product $   States $;
    cards;
1   football    DC
1   football    VA
1   football    MD
2   football    CA
3   football    NV
3   football    CA
;
run;

*Sort - required for both options;
proc sort data=have;
    by orgID;
run;

**********************************************************************;
*Use RETAIN and BY group processing to combine the information;
**********************************************************************;
data want_option1;
    set have;
    by orgID;
    length combined $100.;
    retain combined;

    if first.orgID then
        combined=states;
    else
        combined=catx(', ', combined, states);

    if last.orgID then
        output;
run;

**********************************************************************;
*Transpose it to a wide format and then combine into a single field;
**********************************************************************;
proc transpose data=have out=wide prefix=state_;
    by orgID;
    var states;
run;

data want_option2;
    set wide;
    length combined $100.;
    combined=catx(', ', of state_:);
run;

[Jeff_DOC]

Thank you Reeza.

I never considered using proc transpose in that way. Very simple and efficient suggestion. Thank you.