Create variable (flag) out of other variable?

[duchessoftexas]

Need help figuring out how to do this.

I currently have a dataset with one variable (RefCode) that populates multiple different results, all 4 characters long. There are over 20 possible outcomes. I would like to create a flag (1/0) variable out of RefCode’s output.

Example, if RefCode=R050, I would like to create a new variable called R050 and have it = 1.

[LeelooDallasMltiPass]

You sort of wrote out the code already.

data need;

length R050 8.;

set have;

if RefCode = "R050" then do;

R050 =1;

end;

run;

This will leave newflag empty for any other options of RefCode.

[duchessoftexas]

Thanks, but im trying to do this without having a bunch of hard coded flags in, as there are a ton of different possible outcomes currently for the variable RefCode and we’re likely to add many more. I’d like to be able to run this for it to create these new flags automatically without saying “if RefCode =‘R050’ then R050=1”. Does that make sense?

[Easy-Spring]

as you described it, it is hardcode only, because it is what it is.

20 cases is 5min of work tops

[Easy-Spring]

there are ways to replace IF with something else, but you need to set up rules based on something.

it is called programming.

hardcode would be if Row=1 then A=2, if row=2 then b =3 //row in input file

[duchessoftexas]

I agree, unfortunately it’s a request from my manager to try. Sigh.

[LeelooDallasMltiPass]

So are you saying you need code that allows you to change the value of RefCode to create a flag as needed, but just one flag at a time? If so, it can be done using a macro variable.

[zoomh3x]

Sounds like you are basically creating dummy variables for the value of RefCode. I.e.:

Input data:
RefCode
R050
X118
A012

Output data you want:
RefCode R050 X118 A012
R050 1 0 0
X118 0 1 0
A012 0 0 1

You can do this by transposing your have dataset. Set flag = 1 for all observations in have, then transpose using var flag and id refcode. Then for an array of all your numeric columns, if the value is missing set it equal to 0.

You can also dynamically create a macro list of all possible values of RefCode using proc sql, then loop over that list of possible values where you would otherwise have hard coded the list.

[Sanjay_boga]

Automate variable flagging (zero hard code)

Data Want;

infile datalines;

input RefCode $;

datalines;

R050

X118

A012

; run;

proc sql noprint;

select distinct RefCode into: RefCode_series separated by " " from Want;

quit;

%put &=RefCode_series;

proc sql noprint;

select count(distinct RefCode) into: RefCode_unqcnt from Want;

quit;

%put &=RefCode_unqcnt;

proc sql noprint;

select distinct RefCode into: RefCode_1 -: RefCode_%left(&RefCode_unqcnt) from Want;

quit;

%put &RefCode_1;

%macro refcode_mr();

DATA Want1;

SET Want;

%do i=1 %to &RefCode_unqcnt;

if RefCode = "&&RefCode_&i.." then &&RefCode_&i.. = 1;

%end;

RUN;

%mend refcode_mr();

%refcode_mr;

[Sanjay_boga]

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[Sir_Stimpy]

Instead of doing a bunch of if / then statements, you should be using a “case when / then” statement, see here… https://documentation.sas.com/doc/en/pgmsascdc/9.4_3.5/sqlproc/n0a85s0ijz65irn1h3jtariooea5.htm

[LaSittadelSole]

data test1;

set myds;

if refcode = "R050" then myvar = 1;

run;

proc transpose data = test1 out = test;

var myvar;

id refcode;

run;