Store macro variable based on values on two variables

[gsk]

Hi, the idea is this.. I have data like this:

data have;
input col1 $ col2 $ col3 $;
datalines;
A b file1
A c file2
A b file3
B b file4
B c file5
A b file6
B b file7
C a file8
C b file9
C a file10
;

Depending on the combination of col1 and col2, I need to call in files from a directory and stack them together. 

file1, file3, file6 need to be "SET" together because they all have A for col1 and b for col2. 

file2 will be called in and be "SET" alone because it's the only dataset with A for col1 and c for col2. 

Likewise, file4 and file7 together. file5 alone. file8 and file10 together. file9 alone.

Could someone please help me start off? How do I divide col3 into file1&file3&file6, file2, file4&file7, file5, file8&file10 based on their combined values from col1 and col2? 

Thanks a lot in advance.. 

[Reeza]

You could pass the list to a macro using call execute. Sort your data first so that your groups are ordered the way you want, and then import the files in the grouped order. 

[ballardw]

It may also help to show the code where you intend to use the resulting variables.