Why is my IF THEN statement not valid?

[eslb2022]

My code is below. The error message is also shown. How do I fix the code so it will delete Group B. 

Code:

DATA patients;
INPUT PatientID Group $ ;
DATALINES;
4165 A
2255 B
3312 C
5689 C
1287 A
5454 A
6672 C
8521 B
8936 C
5764 B
;
IF Group = 'B' THEN DELETE;
RUN;

Error:

ERROR 180-322: Statement is not valid or it is used out of proper order.

[sbxkoenk · Accepted solution]

Your IF statement is in the wrong place!

DATA patients;
INPUT PatientID Group $ ;
IF Group = 'B' THEN DELETE;
DATALINES;
4165 A
2255 B
3312 C
5689 C
1287 A
5454 A
6672 C
8521 B
8936 C
5764 B
;
RUN;

Koen

[Tom]

When you have in-line data the data step ends when the data begins.

So you have put your IF statement in between the data step and the next step.  

That is why I would suggest that you get in the habit of NOT adding a RUN: statement after the in-line data lines.  It just confuses novice SAS programmers into thinking it is part of the data step.  

DATA patients;
  INPUT PatientID Group $ ;
  IF Group = 'B' THEN DELETE;
DATALINES;
4165 A
2255 B
3312 C
5689 C
1287 A
5454 A
6672 C
8521 B
8936 C
5764 B
;