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Note:  See SN-008395 to learn other ways to reorder variables.

/* Create sample data */

data a;
  input x a j z$ q $ ;
datalines;
1 2 3 qwe asd
;

/* Method 1: Using PROC CONTENTS to obtain alphabetical order for variable names      */

/* Use PROC CONTENTS to generate an output data set, keeping only the variable names, */
/* which are output in alphabetical order.                                            */

proc contents data=a out=newa(keep=name);
run;

/* Create macro variables for each variable name, and a count of the number of variables */

data _null_;
  set newa end=last;
  i+1;
  call symput('var'||trim(left(put(i,8.))),trim(name));
  if last then call symput('total',trim(left(put(i,8.))));
run;

/* Use a macro DO loop to generate the names of the variables on a RETAIN statement.  */
/* Placing the variable names on a RETAIN statement prior to the SET statement        */
/* ensures the variables are placed in the PDV in that order.                         */
/*                                                                                    */
/* If you do not need to permanently reorder the variables, just print them in        */
/* alphabetical order, you can use the macro DO LOOP on a VAR statement in PROC PRINT.*/

%macro test;
  data final;
    retain %do j=1 %to &total;
             &&var&j
	   %end;;
    set a;
  run;

  proc print;
  run;
%mend test;

/* Invoke the macro */

%test




/* Method 2: Use SQL dictionary tables to create alphabetical list of variable names */

/* Use same starting data set created above, WORK.A.  Note the values of MEMNAME and */
/* LIBNAME need to be in upper case.                                                 */

proc sql noprint;                               
   select distinct name                         
   into : varlist separated by ' '              
   from dictionary.columns                      
   where libname='WORK' and memname='A';     
   quit;                                        

/* Write macro variable value to the log to see the results */                                              
%put &varlist;  

/* If you want to permanently reorder the variables in the data set to be in          */
/* alphabetical order, you can call the macro variable &varlist on a RETAIN statement */
/* prior to the SET statement when you create the new data set.  If you only want to  */
/* print them in alphabetical order, you can use the macro variable &varlist on a VAR */
/* statement in PROC PRINT.                                                           */

Obs    a    j     q     x     z

 1     2    3    asd    1    qwe

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