This sample shows how to dynamically create an input variable list for PROC MEANS and also shows how to create your own names for the output variables rather than using the AUTONAME option.

If you run MEANS against sashelp.class and choose the AUTONAME option on the OUTPUT statement, the format of the names is variablename_stat where variablename is the actual name of the variable and stat is the statistic(s) you requested. The code below illustrates this.

The sample code in the Full Code tab works if you are requesting only one statistic. In the step where the new variable names are created, you would have to create additional variables for each statistic requested in the PROC MEANS, and add additional select statements to the PROC SQL.

In the example, the first step retrieves and renames all the variables in the input dataset. In this step, the variable names are actually the values associated with the variable NAME from the PROC CONTENTS output dataset and the newly created variable name.

The PROC SQL step creates an input variable list and a list of new variable names for only the numeric variables. Numeric variables have a type = 1.

The final two steps are MEANS and PRINT to produce and display the output.

Note: The CATS function is new for SAS 9 and above. For other SAS releases use the concatenation bars (||) along with the LEFT and TRIM functions.

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These sample files and code examples are provided by SAS Institute Inc. "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Recipients acknowledge and agree that SAS Institute shall not be liable for any damages whatsoever arising out of their use of this material. In addition, SAS Institute will provide no support for the materials contained herein.

This code assumes that the original variable name will be used with a suffix added to it. A prefix could be used instead of a suffix. While there are multiple PROC PRINTS in the code, those are only used to check output, and can be commented out or deleted. The output tab only shows the final PROC PRINT. Prior to SAS 9, use left(trim(name,||_total)).

---

title;                                                               
                                                                     
/* get the list of variable names in the dataset */                  
                                                                     
proc contents data=sashelp.class out=stuff(keep=name type) noprint;  
run;                                                                 
                                                                     
data temp;                                                           
  set stuff;                                                         
  length sumname $14.;                                               
  sumname=cats(name,'_total');                                       
run;                                                                 
                                                                     
/* look at new name */                                               
                                                                     
proc print data=temp;                                                
  title 'temp';                                                      
run;                                                                 
title;                                                               
                                                                     
/* create macro var with list of numeric variable names */           
                                                                     
proc sql;                                                            
  select (sumname)                                                   
  into :outname separated by ' '                                     
  from temp                                                          
  where type = 1;                                                    
  select (name)                                                      
  into :inname separated by ' '                                      
  from temp                                                          
  where type = 1;                                                    
quit;                                                                
                                                                     
proc means data=sashelp.class;                                       
  var &inname;                                                       
  output out=mymeans sum= &outname;                                  
run;                                                                 
                                                                     
/* look at final output */                                           
                                                                     
proc print data=mymeans;                                             
  title 'mymeans';                                                   
run;                                                                 
                                                                     

---

These sample files and code examples are provided by SAS Institute Inc. "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Recipients acknowledge and agree that SAS Institute shall not be liable for any damages whatsoever arising out of their use of this material. In addition, SAS Institute will provide no support for the materials contained herein.

mymeans                                                    09:10 Wednesday, January 21, 2009 195

                            Age_    Height_    Weight_
Obs    _TYPE_    _FREQ_    total     total      total

 1        0        19       253      1184.4     1900.5

                                                                                                                          
             

Type:	Sample
Topic:	SAS Reference ==> Procedures ==> MEANS SAS Reference ==> Macro SAS Reference ==> SQL

Date Modified:	2009-01-22 14:12:18
Date Created:	2009-01-22 11:17:50

Operating System and Release Information

Product Family	Product	Host	SAS Release
			Starting	Ending
SAS System	Base SAS	z/OS
		OpenVMS VAX
		Microsoft® Windows® for 64-Bit Itanium-based Systems
		Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter 64-bit Edition
		Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise 64-bit Edition
		Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition
		Microsoft® Windows® for x64
		OS/2
		Microsoft Windows 95/98
		Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
		Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
		Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
		Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
		Microsoft Windows NT Workstation
		Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition
		Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
		Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition
		Microsoft Windows XP Professional
		Windows Millennium Edition (Me)
		Windows Vista
		64-bit Enabled AIX
		64-bit Enabled HP-UX
		64-bit Enabled Solaris
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		AIX
		HP-UX
		HP-UX IPF
		IRIX
		Linux
		Linux for x64
		Linux on Itanium
		OpenVMS Alpha
		OpenVMS on HP Integrity
		Solaris
		Solaris for x64
		Tru64 UNIX