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Combining Data Sets with Character Variables of Different Lengths Martha Cox Cancer Outcomes Research Program Cancer Car

Combining Data Sets with Character Variables of Different Lengths Martha Cox Cancer Outcomes Research Program Cancer Care Nova Scotia. The Problem. 2 data sets to combine (SET) They contain some of the same character variables, but with different lengths. How ?.

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Combining Data Sets with Character Variables of Different Lengths Martha Cox Cancer Outcomes Research Program Cancer Car

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  1. Combining Data Sets with Character Variables of Different LengthsMartha CoxCancer Outcomes Research ProgramCancer Care Nova Scotia

  2. The Problem • 2 data sets to combine (SET) • They contain some of the same character variables, but with different lengths.

  3. How ? • PROC APPEND:Uses all attributes from the base data set. • Data step with a SET statement:Manually-created LENGTH statement.

  4. An Easier Solution A macro that creates and then runs a SAS program with the right information.

  5. Algorithm of the Macro • Run PROC CONTENTS for each data set; output the metadata for the character variables. • Merge the results together, keeping both lengths. • Write a SAS program. • Run the SAS program.

  6. %macro union(dsn1=, /*Name of the first data set */ dsn2=, /*Name of the second data set */ out= /*Name of combined data set */); proc contents data=&dsn1 noprint out=out1(keep=name type length where=(type=2)); proc contents data=&dsn2 noprint out=out2(keep=name type length where=(type=2)); run; data _null_; file "combined.sas"; merge out1 out2(rename=(length=length2)) end=last; by name; if _n_ = 1 then put "Data &out;"; l = max(length,length2); put " length " name " $ " l 2. ";"; if last then do; put " set &dsn1 &dsn2;"; put "run;"; end; run; %include "combined.sas"; %mend union;

  7. %macro(dsn1=ONE, dsn2=TWO, out=UNION ); Example: The Call

  8. Contents of Data Set ONE Obs NAME TYPE LENGTH 1 c1 2 4 2 c2 2 8 Contents of Data Set TWO Obs NAME TYPE LENGTH 1 c1 2 3 2 c2 2 10 Example: Input Data Sets

  9. Example: The Program data union; length c1 $ 4; length c2 $ 10; set one two; run;

  10. Example: The Result Contents of Data Set UNION Obs NAME TYPE LENGTH 1 c1 Char 4 2 c2 Char 10

  11. Reference • Authored by Ron Cody, a SAS Books By Users author. • Found in the SAS Sample Library http://support.sas.com/notes/index.html

  12. Questions ?

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