How to use upcase and test upcase

[Phil_NZ]

Hi all SAS Users,

I have want to create a variable voi_and_acc=1 if  GEOGN match one of some specific words

For example, I have some input specific words like: Argentina, AuStralia

GEOGN is ARGENTINA and AUSTRALIA.

So, I guess my code should be 

data add_sub;
	set work.merge_treat_con;
	 if GEOGN in upcase("Australia","Austria") then voi_and_acc=1;
run;

However, the error showing is that

28         data add_sub;
29         	set work.merge_treat_con;
30         	 if GEOGN in upcase("Australia","Austria") then voi_and_acc=1;
                               _
                               22
                               76
ERROR: The right-hand operand must be an array name or a constant value list.  The specified name upcase, is not an array.
ERROR 22-322: Syntax error, expecting one of the following: IN, NOTIN.  

ERROR 76-322: Syntax error, statement will be ignored.

Could you please help me to sort it out?

Many thanks.

[Kurt_Bremser]

These are literals, so you do not need a function, just write them in uppercase:

 if GEOGN in ("AUSTRALIA","AUSTRIA")

And you have to use the list immediately following the IN operator; also, the items in the list MUST be literals (constants).

[Phil_NZ]

Hi @Kurt_Bremser 

---

@Kurt_Bremser wrote:

And you have to use the list immediately following the IN operator

---

Does it mean that I cannot use 

if GEOGN in upcase() or any function but just only if GEOGN in() ?

Warm regards.

[PaigeMiller]

You can do this:

if geogn in (upcase('Australia'))

but it would be less typing to do this:

if geogn in ('AUSTRALIA')

[ChrisNZ]

The syntax I'd use would be:

if GEOGN in %upcase(('Australia','Austria')) 

 This ensures the interpreted string is static, for better performance.

[ChrisNZ]

Another option is:

if prxmatch('/Australia|Austria/i',GEOGN) 

The list of words can easily be expanded, and the final i make the match case-insensitive. 

[PaigeMiller]

---

@ChrisNZ wrote:

The syntax I'd use would be:

if GEOGN in %upcase(('Australia','Austria')) 

 This ensures the interpreted string is static, for better performance.

---

It's still less typing to put the country names in uppercase to begin with.

[ChrisNZ]

I understand the words come as is.    GEOGN match one of some specific words

Yes these words could be uppercased too if that doesn't have any negative effect somewhere else

[Kurt_Bremser]

---

@Phil_NZ wrote:

Hi @Kurt_Bremser 

---

@Kurt_Bremser wrote:

And you have to use the list immediately following the IN operator

---

Does it mean that I cannot use 

if GEOGN in upcase() or any function but just only if GEOGN in() ?

Warm regards.

---

Absolutely. See the documentation of the IN Operator.
The IN is set up by the data step or SQL compiler at compile time, so it cannot have variable expressions or functions in it.

[PaigeMiller · Accepted solution]

---

@Phil_NZ wrote:

Hi all SAS Users,

I have want to create a variable voi_and_acc=1 if  GEOGN match one of some specific words

For example, I have some input specific words like: Argentina, AuStralia

GEOGN is ARGENTINA and AUSTRALIA.

So, I guess my code should be 

data add_sub;
	set work.merge_treat_con;
	 if GEOGN in upcase("Australia","Austria") then voi_and_acc=1;
run;

---

You could also use the FIND function, which allows case insensitive testing of character strings using the 'i' option.

if find(geogn,'Australia','i')>0 or find(geogn,'Austria','i')>0 then ...

Adding on to @Kurt_Bremser 's answer, most SAS interfaces have keyboard shortcuts that allow you to change text that you have selected and convert it to uppercase, magically, right before your eyes! On my Windows 10 computer running Base SAS 9.4, the keyboard shortcut is Ctrl-Shift-U. So if you typed mixed case "Australia" and then select it and Ctrl-Shift-U, now you have "AUSTRALIA".