sum up all fields start with "x"

[Ronein]

Hello

I want to sum up all variables start with "x"

Way1 to do it  is:

x_sum1=sum(x1901,x1902,x1903,x1904,x1905,x1906);

Since in real I have many fields then I want to find a more clever way to do it

Why is it not working?

x_sum2=sum(x:);

_
388
200
76
ERROR 388-185: Expecting an arithmetic operator.

ERROR 200-322: The symbol is not recognized and will be ignored.

ERROR 76-322: Syntax error, statement will be ignored.

data a;
input x1901 x1902 x1903 x1904 x1905 x1906;
cards;
10 20 30 40 50 60
;
run;

data b;
set a;
x_sum1=sum(x1901,x1902,x1903,x1904,x1905,x1906);
x_sum2=sum(x:);
run;

[Ronein]

I found the solution.

Is there another way to do it?

Maybe with arrays?

data b;
set a;
sum1=sum(x1901,x1902,x1903,x1904,x1905,x1906);
sum2=sum(of  x:);
run;

[andreas_lds]

Why do you think that using arrays will allow an easier solution? I don't know a solution with less code than

sum2=sum(of x:);

[Tom]

---

@Ronein wrote:

I found the solution.

Is there another way to do it?

Maybe with arrays?

data b;
set a;
sum1=sum(x1901,x1902,x1903,x1904,x1905,x1906);
sum2=sum(of  x:);
run;

---

If you already have the array defined then you can use the array name with * for the index.  So if you defined the array using the name Xarray the syntax would look like:

sum3=sum(of  Xarray[*]);

[ballardw]

---

@Ronein wrote:

Hello

I want to sum up all variables start with "x"

Way1 to do it  is:

x_sum1=sum(x1901,x1902,x1903,x1904,x1905,x1906);

Since in real I have many fields then I want to find a more clever way to do it

Why is it not working?

x_sum2=sum(x:);

_
388
200
76
ERROR 388-185: Expecting an arithmetic operator.

ERROR 200-322: The symbol is not recognized and will be ignored.

ERROR 76-322: Syntax error, statement will be ignored.

data a;
input x1901 x1902 x1903 x1904 x1905 x1906;
cards;
10 20 30 40 50 60
;
run;

data b;
set a;
x_sum1=sum(x1901,x1902,x1903,x1904,x1905,x1906);
x_sum2=sum(x:);
run;

---

Reiterate: Paste LOG into a code box as well.

When you use a list indicator like X: then you need the key word "of" as in sum(of x: ) ; Otherwise the compiler doesn't know what you want to do. Similar with an array as the argument. Error: z= sum ( y(*) );  Correct: z= sum (of y(*)); (Assumes y is a correctly defined array)

BTW if you use

x_sum1=sum(x1901,x1902,x1903,x1904,x1905,x1906);
x_sum2=sum( of x:);

then x_sum2 will be equivalent to sum(x_sum1,x1901,x1902,x1903,x1904,x1905,x1906); assuming that x1901 - x1906 were all of the other X variables. So you may want to be careful with the order of your code and variable name lists.