The following error message is generated when you attempt to define a list using dissimilar variable names in a VAR statement with PROC TRANSPOSE:

ERROR: variable does not have a numeric suffix  

For example, a list is defined in the VAR statement below:

proc transpose data=sashelp.class;
   var age-height;
run;

The VAR statement results in the following error message:

ERROR: AGE does not have a numeric suffix.

To circumvent the problem, use two hyphens instead of one when defining the list, as shown below:

proc transpose data=sashelp.class;
   var age--height;
run;

This syntax is documented in the SAS^® 9.4 Language Reference: Concepts, Fifth Edition on the SAS Variable Lists page in the section entitled Name Range Lists.

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