Condition check in SAS

vasanthz · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 2:48 pm

Hi,

Could you please let me know if there is an option or statement in SAS to check conditions similar to LIKE operator in where statement.

Example:

expat · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 3:22 pm

What about the INDEX function, would that help.

PeterHolland · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 3:25 pm

Only if you can substitute ranges for your LIKE values.

PROC FORMAT;
VALUE DSNFMT
'rangea'-'rangeb' = 'good'
'rangec'-'ranged' = 'good';

vasanthz · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 3:27 pm

Hi,

Thanks for the reply,
The condition checks require checking of dataset names with strings at specific position, so index was not adequate.

Example, there are 3000 checks like,

$AB.ABC_.CA7%
$AB.____.SMFABC_.%._C

Regards,

expat · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 3:35 pm

So what are you trying to achieve and maybe we can help in a more roundabout fashion

Lots of detail please.

vasanthz · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 4:00 pm

Its quite complex and I am not sure if I can share the in depth details due to security and other formalities.

We are using a CA product that is based on SAS to classify datasets to specific groups.
The product accepts only SAS code "IF conditions" or other statements that can be used inside a data step as PARM or SYSIN for classification.

so I believe there is no alternate way other than SAS IF statements or SAS statements that are used inside a DATA step .

Thanks,

Robert Sample · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 4:11 pm

You might try a quick test to see if the PRXPARSE function is available in your version of SAS. If so, you have access to Perl regular expressions and much becomes possible.

expat · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 4:30 pm

Have you had a look at PROC SQL which supports the LIKE parameter.

Sorry, should have suggested that earlier, but as my client pays the bill his workload gets priority

PeterHolland · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 5:38 pm

vasanthz · Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 8:11 pm

Hi,
Thanks everyone for sharing your knowledge.
As suggested above, PRXMATCH did the trick

equivalent statement of

Robert Sample · Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 8:15 pm

Good catch, Peter!

Glad to hear your problem is resolved, Vasanth. Perl is worth knowing -- even though it's probably the most dangerous programming language I've run across so far.

PeterHolland · Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 8:54 pm

Robert Sample · Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:20 pm

Perl variables are:
1. allowed to be very long
2. case-sensitive ($ABC and $abc are two different variables)
3. defined upon first reference so typos cause extra variables
4. the first character determines whether it is string, array, or hash
5. scope depends upon how the variable is defined and used

So there is much potential for mayhem, chaos, and extraneous side-effects!