In this tutorial, you will learn how to use wildcard character in SAS.
Example 1 : Keep all the variables start with 'X'
DATA READIN;
INPUT ID X1 X_T $;
CARDS;
2 3 01
3 4 010
4 5 022
5 6 021
6 7 032
;
RUN;
DATA READIN2;
SET READIN (KEEP = X:);
RUN;
The COLON (:) tells SAS to select all the variables starting with the character 'X'.
Example 2 : Subset data using wildcard character
DATA READIN2;
SET READIN;
IF X_T =: '01';
RUN;
In this case, the COLON (:) tells SAS to select all the cases starting with the character '01'.
Example 3 : Use of WildCard in IN Operator
DATA READIN2;
SET READIN;
IF X_T IN: ('01', '02');
RUN;
In this case, the COLON (:) tells SAS to select all the cases starting with the character '01' and '02'.
Example 4 : Use of WildCard in GT LT (> <) Operators
DATA READIN2;
SET READIN;
IF X_T >: '01';
RUN;
In this case, the COLON (:) tells SAS to select all the cases from character '01' up alphabetically.
Example 5 : WildCard in Function
data example3;
set temp2;
total =sum(of height:);
run;
Example 6 : WildCard in Array
proc transpose data = sashelp.class out=temp;
by name sex;
var height weight;
run;
proc transpose data = temp delimeter=_ out=temp2(drop=_name_);
by name;
var col1;
id _name_ sex;
run;
proc sql noprint;
select CATS('new_',name) into: newnames separated by ""
from dictionary.columns
where libname = "WORK" and memname = "TEMP2" and name like "height_%";
quit;
data temp2;
set temp2;
array h(*) height:;
array newh(*) &newnames.;
do i = 1 to dim(h);
newh{i} = h{i}*2;
end;
drop i;
run;