Indexing an array using a variable

[mk123451243]

I am trying to use the variable PERIOD as an iterator for the period_array. However the iterator does not seem to be working. If I change period_array(PERIOD) to a fixed value location like period_array(3) then it correctly places a value at position 3. Can someone tell me where I am going wrong?

I have been using this as the template: https://stats.idre.ucla.edu/sas/modules/reshaping-data-long-to-wide-using-the-data-step/

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated,

Input dataset:

PATH	PERIOD	RATE
1	1	5
1	2	7
1	3	3
2	1	1
2	2	2
2	3	2

SAS CODE:

DATA WORK.LMM_Paths;
	SET WORK.LMM_PATHS_IN;
		BY PATH;
	ARRAY PERIOD_ARRAY(3) PERIOD1-PERIOD3;
	IF first.PATH THEN DO;
		DO i=1 to 3;
			period_array{i}=.;
		END;
	END;
	period_array(PERIOD)=RATE;
	IF last.PATH THEN OUTPUT;
RUN;

Output dataset:

PATH	PERIOD	RATE	PERIOD1	PERIOD2	PERIOD3
1	360	5	.	.	.

[novinosrin · Accepted solution]

retain the array:

DATA WORK.LMM_Paths;
	SET WORK.LMM_PATHS_IN;
		BY PATH;
	ARRAY PERIOD_ARRAY(3) PERIOD1-PERIOD3;
retain period_array; /*retain the array*/
	IF first.PATH THEN DO;
		DO i=1 to 3;
			period_array{i}=.;
		END;
	END;
	period_array(PERIOD)=RATE;
	IF last.PATH THEN OUTPUT;
RUN;

[mk123451243]

Ah of course!

I see my original code was reinitializing the array at the end of the data step!

Thank you.

[data_null__]

---

@novinosrin wrote:

retain the array:

DATA WORK.LMM_Paths;
	SET WORK.LMM_PATHS_IN;
		BY PATH;
	ARRAY PERIOD_ARRAY(3) PERIOD1-PERIOD3;
retain period_array; /*retain the array*/
	IF first.PATH THEN DO;
		DO i=1 to 3;
			period_array{i}=.;
		END;
	END;
	period_array(PERIOD)=RATE;
	IF last.PATH THEN OUTPUT;
RUN;

---

Consider using DO UNTIL(LAST.PATH) with SET in the loop.  This will allow you to remove the RETAIN and let SAS initialize to missing the elements of the array. 

data work.lmm_paths;
   do until(last.path);
      set work.lmm_paths_in;
      by path;
      array period_array[3] period1-period3;
      period_array[period]=rate;
      end;
   run;