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Emma_at_SAS
Lapis Lazuli | Level 10

I am checking the variables with missing observations in my dataset (using the code below). Now, I want to remove the variables that contain no observations from my dataset. I think about 10% of my variables are all missing observations. My sample size is 2100 and I have 1500 variables. I appreciate your suggestions. Thanks  

data count_missing; set &dataset; run;

proc format;
 value $missfmt ' '='Missing' other='Not Missing';
 value  missfmt  . ='Missing' other='Not Missing';
run;
 
proc freq data=count_missing; 
format _CHAR_ $missfmt.; /* apply format for the duration of this PROC */
tables _CHAR_ / missing missprint nocum nopercent;
format _NUMERIC_ missfmt.;
tables _NUMERIC_ / missing missprint nocum nopercent;
run;

 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
PaigeMiller
Diamond | Level 26

Example using SASHELP.ZIPMIL (which has lots of missings), using the NLEVELS option of PROC FREQ

 

ods output nlevels=nlevels;
proc freq data=sashelp.zipmil nlevels; 
format _CHAR_ $missfmt.; /* apply format for the duration of this PROC */
tables _CHAR_ / missing missprint nocum nopercent;
format _NUMERIC_ missfmt.;
tables _NUMERIC_ / missing missprint nocum nopercent;
run;

proc sql noprint;
    select tablevar into :varnames separated by ' ' from nlevels where nnonmisslevels=0;
quit;

data want;
    set sashelp.zipmil(drop=&varnames);
run;

 

 

--
Paige Miller

View solution in original post

7 REPLIES 7
PaigeMiller
Diamond | Level 26

Example using SASHELP.ZIPMIL (which has lots of missings), using the NLEVELS option of PROC FREQ

 

ods output nlevels=nlevels;
proc freq data=sashelp.zipmil nlevels; 
format _CHAR_ $missfmt.; /* apply format for the duration of this PROC */
tables _CHAR_ / missing missprint nocum nopercent;
format _NUMERIC_ missfmt.;
tables _NUMERIC_ / missing missprint nocum nopercent;
run;

proc sql noprint;
    select tablevar into :varnames separated by ' ' from nlevels where nnonmisslevels=0;
quit;

data want;
    set sashelp.zipmil(drop=&varnames);
run;

 

 

--
Paige Miller
Emma_at_SAS
Lapis Lazuli | Level 10
Thank you, PaigeMiller. It works very well!
PaigeMiller
Diamond | Level 26

Also, your formats are not needed, even though I left them in the code.

--
Paige Miller
sbxkoenk
SAS Super FREQ

Hello,

I advise you to search the SAS-communities first to find your answer (before asking your question).

It may save you some valuable time!

This question, for example, is posted rather frequently.

See for example:

Deleting Variables with Only Missing Values from Dataset with 4000+ Variables

https://communities.sas.com/t5/New-SAS-User/Deleting-Variables-with-Only-Missing-Values-from-Dataset...

You will find multiple solutions there.

Koen

Emma_at_SAS
Lapis Lazuli | Level 10
Hi Koen,
Thank you, for your advice. Next time, I will search the previous posts more carefully.
Thanks,
Mary
Emma_at_SAS
Lapis Lazuli | Level 10
Great, thank you, Ksharp!

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