keep order of data set

[Jcorti]

Hi Team,

I want something very easy.

I want to mantain the same order of the variables of this dataset.

set output.&cons ;

I tried with retain and using keep statement and this does not mantain the same order of the variable names.

I read on the forums and they suggested to use Retain and Format

options validvarname=any;
data testa (drop=r1 r2 "Range Start"n "Range End"n) ;
format    
month_var $char32.
Range $char24.
"Current Count"n comma15.
"Current %"n percent12.2
"Previous Count"n comma15.
"Previous %"n percent12.2
"% Change"n percent12.2
; 
set output.&cons ;
r1=put(input("Range Start"n,15.),comma12.);
r2=put("Range End"n,comma15.);
Range=CATX('_',r1,r2);
;
run;

NOTE: Variable 'Previous Count'n is uninitialized.

getting this like Output:

month_var	Range	Current Count	Current %	Previous Count	Previous %	% Change	Previous Count
M00_ACCT_BALANCE_AM	._0	313,313,113	36.16%	.	33.97%	2.19%	2,323,333,131
M00_ACCT_BALANCE_AM	1_100	313,313,113	5.58%	.	33.97%	2.19%	2,323,333,131

And I need this:

month_var	Range	Current Count	Current %	Previous Count	Previous %	% Change
M00_ACCT_BALANCE_AM	._0	313,313,113	36.16%	2,323,333,131	33.97%	2.19%
M00_ACCT_BALANCE_AM	1_100	313,313,113	5.58%	2,323,333,131	33.97%	2.19%
M00_ACCT_BALANCE_AM	101_500	313,313,113	12.15%	2,323,333,131	33.97%	2.19%

My question are 2:

1. Why is reading twice the variable "Previous Count" ? One with expected output and another with missing values

2.  Is there an easy way to mantain the same order of the variable names of my dataset ?

set output.&cons ;

[mkeintz · Accepted solution]

Then just make sure your "set" statement precedes any statements referring to new variables.

The PDV (program data vector) will then have the original vars in original order on the left, and newly encountered vars to the right, in the order they are encountered by the sas compiler.

Edit:  Answer to 2nd question.  Your dataset probably already has a var named " Previous Count"n  (note the leading blank), but you are declaring another var "Previous Count"n   (no leading blank).  Two different variable names.

[Jcorti]

Thanks Man!!

My variable Previous Count I don´t know why had leading spaces values,

" Previous Count"n comma15.

and it worked properly

Thanks again