select multiple variables with same naming convention

[runrunbunny]

Hi,

I would like to select 10 columns(var1 to var10) from a table:

Proc sql;

select var1, var2, var3, var4, var5,var6,var7,var8,var9,var10

from table;

quit;

Is there an convenient way to represent these variables instead of manually listing them?

Thanks a lot!

runrunbunny

[novinosrin]

Hi @runrunbunny  I'm afraid Proc SQL does not support convenient variable lists like that of a datastep. You may have to switch to datastep or read dictionary information aka proc contents aka metadata and assign the variable lists in a macro variable and call the macro variable in SQL. 

[runrunbunny]

Thank you so much!

[Tom · Accepted solution]

Yes. But not with SQL.

The SAS equivalent of your SQL code is:

proc print data=table ;
  var var1-var10 ;
run;

[FreelanceReinh]

Hi @runrunbunny,

In your particular example you could use a dataset option:

proc sql;
select *
from table(keep=var1-var10);
quit;

[runrunbunny]

Good point! Thank you so much!

[ChrisNZ]

SQL doesn't not allow for any shortcut except for the *.

You can use non-SQL options from the SAS language such as

select * from TABLE(keep=VAR1-VAR10);