Excludes variables from output SAS data sets.
Valid: |
in a DATA step
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Category: |
Information
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Type: |
Declarative
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variable-list
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specifies the names of the variables to
omit from the output data set.
Tip: |
You can list the variables
in any form that SAS allows. |
The DROP statement applies to all the
SAS data sets that are created within the same DATA step and can appear anywhere
in the step. The variables in the DROP statement are available for processing
in the DATA step. If no DROP or KEEP statement appears, all data sets that
are created in the DATA step contain all variables. Do not use both DROP and
KEEP statements within the same DATA step.
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The
DROP statement differs from the DROP= data
set option in the following ways:
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You cannot use the DROP statement in SAS procedure
steps.
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The DROP statement applies to all output data
sets that are named in the DATA statement. To exclude variables from some
data sets but not from others, use the DROP= data set option in the DATA statement.
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The KEEP statement is a parallel statement
that
specifies a list of variables to write to output data sets. Use the KEEP
statement instead of the DROP statement if the number of variables to include
is significantly smaller than the number to omit.
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Do not confuse the DROP statement with the DELETE
statement. The DROP statement excludes variables from output data sets; the
DELETE statement excludes observations.
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These examples show the correct syntax for listing
variables with the DROP statement:
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In this example, the variables PURCHASE and REPAIR
are used in processing but are not written to the output data set INVENTRY:
data inventry;
drop purchase repair;
infile file-specification;
input unit part purchase repair;
totcost=sum(purchase,repair);
run;
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Data Set Option:
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Statements:
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