calling on a column that breaks SAS rules

[axescot78]

I have a dataset that I want to subset by column name. One of the columns I am interested in keeping is named 'MOD'. SAS returns an error when I call on this column; probably because it violates this rule:

SAS reserves a few names for automatic variables and variable lists, SAS data sets, and librefs.

How can I call on this column? I have to use 'keep' rather than 'drop' because there are 78 columns in this dataset.

[PaigeMiller]

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[Tom]

There are very few (if any) names that SAS will not allow as a variable name.  MOD is definitely a valid variable name.

Example:

123  data test;
124    do mod=1 to 5; output; end;
125  run;

NOTE: The data set WORK.TEST has 5 observations and 1 variables.
NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):
      real time           0.09 seconds
      cpu time            0.03 seconds


126  proc print data=test;
127    where mod=3;
128  run;

NOTE: There were 1 observations read from the data set WORK.TEST.
      WHERE mod=3;
NOTE: PROCEDURE PRINT used (Total process time):
      real time           0.12 seconds
      cpu time            0.00 seconds

[axescot78]

Thanks Tom. Looking at it again, the error is related to the format:

ERROR: The format MOD was not found or could not be loaded.

Looking at the proc contents, the column is named MOD and the format is MOD. Must be a custom format!

[Tom]

To use the data without access to the format set the option NOFMTERR.

[ballardw]

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@axescot78 wrote:

Thanks Tom. Looking at it again, the error is related to the format:

ERROR: The format MOD was not found or could not be loaded.

Looking at the proc contents, the column is named MOD and the format is MOD. Must be a custom format!

---

You can change the behavior of missing formats as errors by setting:

Options nofmterr;

Or create a temporary format that does nothing:

Proc format;

   value mod;

run;

would find a format but treat the values as the BEST format.

Or find the definition for the MOD format and run it in your session.