List table automatically add/remove fields based on data plan output

[ahawkins61]

In a table I have column headings of the dates of activity based on a SAS table that is always being updated.  Is there a way to program a list table to display column headings no matter what they are called or how many there are?  

When I create new list tables it always asks for the column headings, essentially hard-coding the names and number of the columns.  I need a more polymorphic solution.  Any ideas?  Thanks in advance.

[Patrick · Accepted solution]

With "traditional" SAS (SAS9, Viya spre) you can simply use something like:

proc print data=<your table> noobs;
run;

If you want a report in Viya then you need up-to-date metadata objects for the table in CAS and for the Report. 

You can dynamically update table metadata so it stays in synch with the physical table but I don't believe you can do something similar for report metadata (a report object). How could SAS "know" where a new column would need to be placed in a report and how to use it.

Changing table structures always cause challenges and additional coding work. Ideally re-arrange your data from wide to long and load this stable table structure into CAS for reporting.

Instead of a table structure like below...

...re-arrange your data prior to loading into CAS to...

[FredrikE]

You can use a data driven content and create a viya job that creates the table dynamically and display it in VA.
Might help you...:)
BR
Fredrik