Understanding DATA Step Processing

Conditionally Deleting an Observation

If you do not want the program data vector to write to a data set based on a condition, use the DELETE statement in the DATA step. For example, if the tour to Peru has been discontinued, it is no longer necessary to include the observation for Peru in the data set that is being created. The following example uses the DELETE statement to prevent SAS from writing that observation to the output data set:

options pagesize=60 linesize=80 pageno=1 nodate;
data subset;
   set mylib.internationaltours;
   if Country = 'Peru' then delete;
run;

proc print data=subset;
   title 'Omitting a Discontinued Tour';
run;

The following output displays the results:

Deleting an Observation

                          Omitting a Discontinued Tour                         1

                                           Air    Land
              Obs    Country    Nights    Cost    Cost    Vendor

               1     France        8       793     575    Major   
               2     Spain        10       805     510    Hispania
               3     India        10         .     489    Royal

The observation for Peru has been deleted from the data set.

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