New variable based on old one

[Margrett]

Hi everyone.

I have perhaps simple question but I stacked with this code and I don't know how to correct it.

I have a variable called "zm". And I want to create a new variable (zm2) based on this first one. I tried a few codes like this below but not one of them works.

%let zm = yrbrn edlvdee isco08 blgetmg;

%let zm2 = %sysfunc(tranward(&zm, "isco08", "iscogrp"));
%put &zm2;

I want to receive something like that:

zm2 = yrbrn edlvdee ISCOGRP blgetmg;

Could anyone help me?

[data_null__ · Accepted solution]

tranWARD is not a function.  Don't use " ";

4    %let zm = yrbrn edlvdee isco08 blgetmg;
5    %let zm2 = %sysfunc(transtrn(&zm,isco08,iscogrp));
6    %put &=zm2;
ZM2=yrbrn edlvdee iscogrp blgetmg

[PaigeMiller]

Seems to me that the quotes are needed inside the transtrn function.

[data_null__]

---

@PaigeMiller wrote:

Seems to me that the quotes are needed inside the transtrn function.

---

Not when using with SYSFUNC on macro variables.  Unless the quotes are part of the string you want to change.  Notice how this doesn't work.

7    %let zm = yrbrn edlvdee isco08 blgetmg;
8    %let zm2 = %sysfunc(transtrn(&zm,"isco08","iscogrp"));
9    %put &=zm2;
ZM2=yrbrn edlvdee isco08 blgetmg

[novinosrin]

Guru, Nice example to understand how tokenisation works especially when literal tokens are processed  by the word scanner , then resolved by the macro processor and eventually sent to compiler for execution. Kudos! 

[Margrett]

Could you tell me also how to delete a word from string? 

If I use this function then I get an extra space in the variable and I don't want that. Is there any other way?

%let zm_obj3 = %sysfunc(transtrn(&zm_obj2,eduyrs,));

%put &zm_obj3;

yrbrn edlvdee  hhmmb iscogrp hinctnta rlgdgr rlgdnm stflife domicil inprdsc blgetmg

[data_null__]

---

@Margrett wrote:

Could you tell me also how to delete a word from string? 

If I use this function then I get an extra space in the variable and I don't want that. Is there any other way?

%let zm_obj3 = %sysfunc(transtrn(&zm_obj2,eduyrs,));

%put &zm_obj3;

yrbrn edlvdee  hhmmb iscogrp hinctnta rlgdgr rlgdnm stflife domicil inprdsc blgetmg

---

Your target does not include the blank so you are getting what you asked for.  You could use COMPBL after TRANSTRN or add a space to the target.

141  %let zm = yrbrn edlvdee isco08 blgetmg;
142  %let zm2 = %sysfunc(transtrn(&zm,%str(isco08 ),));
143  %put &=zm2;
ZM2=yrbrn edlvdee blgetmg

I'm a bit worried that you are doing this macro string manipulation when you should be using different tools.  Can you start a new question where you ask a more fundamental question related to your overall goal.

[Margrett]

Thank you for your help. I'm doing a project for logistic regression for my university classes. It's more about results than code itself but I wonder how can I automatize the code in few places rather than manually rewrite variables etc. So it is good. I don't need more. Thank you for your time and help. 🙂

[Ksharp]

%let zm = yrbrn edlvdee isco08 blgetmg;

%let zm2 = %sysfunc(tranwrd(&zm, isco08, iscogrp));
%put &zm2;