Dropping, Keeping, and Renaming Variables :: SAS(R) 9.3 Language Reference: Concepts, Second Edition

Using Statements or Data Set Options

The DROP, KEEP, and RENAME statements or the DROP=, KEEP=, and RENAME= data set options control which variables are processed or output during the DATA step. You can use one or a combination of these statements and data set options to achieve the results that you want. The action taken by SAS depends largely on whether you perform one of the following actions:

use a statement or data set option or both
specify the data set options on an input or an output data set

The following table summarizes the general differences between the DROP, KEEP, and RENAME statements and the DROP=, KEEP=, and RENAME= data set options.

Statements versus Data Set Options for Dropping, Keeping, and Renaming Variables

Statements	Data Set Options
apply to output data sets only	apply to output or input data sets
affect all output data sets	affect individual data sets
can be used in DATA steps only	can be used in DATA steps and PROC steps
can appear anywhere in DATA steps	must immediately follow the name of each data set to which they apply

Using the Input or Output Data Set

You must also consider whether you want to drop, keep, or rename the variable before it is read into the program data vector or as it is written to the new SAS data set. If you use the DROP, KEEP, or RENAME statement, the action always occurs as the variables are written to the output data set. With SAS data set options, where you use the option determines when the action occurs. If the option is used on an input data set, the variable is dropped, kept, or renamed before it is read into the program data vector. If used on an output data set, the data set option is applied as the variable is written to the new SAS data set. (In the DATA step, an input data set is one that is specified in a SET, MERGE, or UPDATE statement. An output data set is one that is specified in the DATA statement.) Consider the following facts when you make your decision:

If variables are not written to the output data set and they do not require any processing, using an input data set option to exclude them from the DATA step is more efficient.
If you want to rename a variable before processing it in a DATA step, you must use the RENAME= data set option in the input data set.
If the action applies to output data sets, you can use either a statement or a data set option in the output data set.

The following table summarizes the action of data set options and statements when they are specified for input and output data sets. The last column of the table tells whether the variable is available for processing in the DATA step. If you want to rename the variable, use the information in the last column.

Status of Variables and Variable Names When Dropping, Keeping, and Renaming Variables

Where Specified	Data Set Option or Statement	Purpose	Status of Variable or Variable Name
Input data set	DROP= KEEP=	includes or excludes variables from processing	if excluded, variables are not available for use in DATA step
	RENAME=	changes name of variable before processing	use new name in program statements and output data set options; use old name in other input data set options
Output data set	DROP, KEEP	specifies which variables are written to all output data sets	all variables available for processing
	RENAME	changes name of variables in all output data sets	use old name in program statements; use new name in output data set options
	DROP= KEEP=	specifies which variables are written to individual output data sets	all variables are available for processing
	RENAME=	changes name of variables in individual output data sets	use old name in program statements and other output data set options

Order of Application

If your program requires that you use more than one data set option or a combination of data set options and statements, it is helpful to know that SAS drops, keeps, and renames variables in the following order:

First, options on input data sets are evaluated left to right within SET, MERGE, and UPDATE statements. DROP= and KEEP= options are applied before the RENAME= option.
Next, DROP and KEEP statements are applied, followed by the RENAME statement.
Finally, options on output data sets are evaluated left to right within the DATA statement. DROP= and KEEP= options are applied before the RENAME= option.

Examples of Dropping, Keeping, and Renaming Variables

The following examples show specific ways to handle dropping, keeping, and renaming variables:

This example uses the DROP= and RENAME= data set options and the INPUT function to convert the variable POPRANK from character to numeric. The name POPRANK is changed to TEMPVAR before processing so that a new variable POPRANK can be written to the output data set. Note that the variable TEMPVAR is dropped from the output data set and that the new name TEMPVAR is used in the program statements.
```
data newstate(drop=tempvar);
   length poprank 8;
   set state(rename=(poprank=tempvar));
   poprank=input(tempvar,8.);
run;
```
This example uses the DROP statement and the DROP= data set option to control the output of variables to two new SAS data sets. The DROP statement applies to both data sets, CORN and BEAN. You must use the RENAME= data set option to rename the output variables BEANWT and CORNWT in each data set.
```
data corn(rename=(cornwt=yield) drop=beanwt)
     bean(rename=(beanwt=yield) drop=cornwt);
   set harvest;
   if crop='corn' then output corn;
   else if crop='bean' then output bean;
   drop crop;
run;
```
This example shows how to use data set options in the DATA statement and the RENAME statement together. Note that the new name QTRTOT is used in the DROP= data set option.
```
data qtr1 qtr2 ytd(drop=qtrtot);
   set ytdsales;
   if qtr=1 then output qtr1;
   else if qtr=2 then output qtr2;
   else output ytd;
   rename total=qtrtot;
run;
```