How to replace missing value with a nonmissing value within a group

[CynthiaWei]

Hi,

I have a dataset that each ID has multiple records. Within each group (ID), the variable A and B have only two values, missing and some other value.

data have;

input ID A B;

cards;

1   10   .

1    .    16

1    .    16

1    10   .

2    5     .

2    5     .

2    5     .

2    .      7

What I want to do is to replace the missing value with the non-missing value of the same variable within each group:

1   10  16

1   10  16

1   10  16

1   10  16

2    5     7

2    5     7

2    5     7

2    5     7

I really appreciate any help with this question.

Best regards,

C

[Kurt_Bremser]

Use a double DO loop:

data want;
do until (last.id);
  set have;
  by id;
  _a = max(_a,a);
  _b = max(_b,b);
end;
do until (last.id);
  set have;
  by id;
  a = _a;
  b = _b;
  output;
end;
drop _:;
run;

Untested, posted from my tablet.

[Kurt_Bremser]

PS

PLEASE (and that's a very big PLEASE) use the "little running man" button to post code. Really. I mean it.

I positively hate to have to clean out all the iffy things (empty lines etc) that the main posting window does to code.

BTW, I managed to run the code (after cleaning up your data step, see above) on SAS on Demand, so it's tested now.

[PaigeMiller]

If it really is the case that there are non-missing values which are always the same within an ID, or missing values (never two different non-missing values within an ID), then in my opinion, the easiest solution is to use PROC STDIZE with the REPONLY option.

proc stdize data=have reponly method=mean out=want;
by id;
var a b;
run;

[PeterClemmensen]

data have;
input ID A B;
cards;
1 10 .
1 . 16
1 . 16
1 10 .
2 5 .
2 5 .
2 5 .
2 . 7
;

data want(drop=aa bb);
   do _N_ = 1 by 1 until (last.ID);
      set have;
      by ID;
      aa = aa <> a;
      bb = bb <> b;
   end;
   do _N_ = 1 to _N_;
      set have;
      if a = . then a = aa;
      if b = . then b = bb;
      output;
   end;
run;

Result:

ID A  B 
1  10 16 
1  10 16 
1  10 16 
1  10 16 
2  5  7 
2  5  7 
2  5  7 
2  5  7 

[novinosrin]

Hi @CynthiaWei  While it's a privilege to learn from the real "Proc Star- @PaigeMiller " who would make SAS look innocent with his mastery of Procs, with yet another demonstration of a Proc that does with utmost elegance, here is another alternative of Datastep that utilizes the UPDATE construct to fill the missing values.

data have;
input ID A B;
cards;
1 10 .
1 . 16
1 . 16
1 10 .
2 5 .
2 5 .
2 5 .
2 . 7
;

data want;
 do _n_=1 by 1 until(last.id);
  update have(obs=0) have;
  by id;
 end;
 do _n_=1 to _n_;
  output;
 end;
run;

The above technique might be a bit of learning curve when you intend to do further processing i.e. should the need is to go beyond after fill  in  a situation that would involve look up/matrix programming(hashes/multi dim arrays) among others for further processing.

Alternatively, the MAX operator/function is indeed the traditional way as it works for both SQL/Datastep. For one, the syntax being convenient and many users are quite familiar with SQL as is often known as "readymeals" solution,

proc sql;
 create table want as
 select a.id,A,B
 from have(keep=id) a left join
 (select id, max(a) as A, max(b) as B from have group by id) b
 on a.id=b.id;
quit;

If you are familiar with automatic remerge functionality of Proc SQL, you might be tempted to attempt that auto fill, albeit the SQL processor wouldn't see the inclusion of a non summary list variable to force or trigger that. Therefore, you would need an explicit  self JOIN.

Fun stuff! Have a great day and Kind regards 🙂