Does proc dataset support column level drop/keep functionality in SAS Viya 3.5/4

[thesasuser]

Hello
Does proc dataset support column level drop/keep functionality in SAS Viya 3.5/4 or even in SAS 9.4M8

[Tom]

No.  It does not make any sense that it would.  If you drop a variable you have a whole new dataset. So just make the new dataset.

[sbxkoenk · Accepted solution]

No!

Data set has to be read and re-written for drop of a column.

You can do:

• proc sql; alter table work.abc_xyz drop var_name; quit;
• drop= or keep= data set options in data step
• create a view on top of existing table leaving out the columns you are not interested in.

Let me know if you are working on CAS tables. For CAS tables there's one more approach.

Koen

[thesasuser]

Thanks @sbxkoenk 
I would appreciate if you can list the other approach for CAS tables.
Thanks once again.

[sbxkoenk]

---

@thesasuser wrote:

I would appreciate if you can list the other approach for CAS tables.
Thanks once again.

---

• Tables Action Set: Syntax
  https://go.documentation.sas.com/doc/en/pgmsascdc/9.4_3.5/caspg/cas-table-TblOfActions.htm
• alterTable Action (in Tables Action Set)
  https://go.documentation.sas.com/doc/en/pgmsascdc/9.4_3.5/caspg/cas-table-altertable.htm
• drop= parameter in table.alterTable
  drop={"variable-name-1" <, "variable-name-2", ...>}
  Columns to drop
  https://go.documentation.sas.com/doc/en/pgmsascdc/9.4_3.5/caspg/cas-table-altertable.htm#SAS.cas-tab...

Koen