1. Introduction
This module demonstrates how to select variables using the keep and drop statements, using keep and drop data step options records, and using the subsetting if and delete statement(s). Selecting variables: The SAS file structure is similar to a spreadsheet. Data values are stored as variables, which are like fields or columns on a spreadsheet. Sometimes data files contain information that is superfluous to a particular analysis, in which case we might want to change the data file to contain only variables of interest. Programs will run more quickly and occupy less storage space if files contain only necessary variables. The following program builds a SAS file called auto. (For information about creating SAS files from raw data, see the SAS Learning Module on Inputting Data into SAS .)
DATA auto ; LENGTH make $ 20 ; INPUT make $ 1-17 price mpg rep78 hdroom trunk weight length turn displ gratio foreign ; CARDS; AMC Concord 4099 22 3 2.5 11 2930 186 40 121 3.58 0 AMC Pacer 4749 17 3 3.0 11 3350 173 40 258 2.53 0 AMC Spirit 3799 22 . 3.0 12 2640 168 35 121 3.08 0 Audi 5000 9690 17 5 3.0 15 2830 189 37 131 3.20 1 Audi Fox 6295 23 3 2.5 11 2070 174 36 97 3.70 1 BMW 320i 9735 25 4 2.5 12 2650 177 34 121 3.64 1 Buick Century 4816 20 3 4.5 16 3250 196 40 196 2.93 0 Buick Electra 7827 15 4 4.0 20 4080 222 43 350 2.41 0 Buick LeSabre 5788 18 3 4.0 21 3670 218 43 231 2.73 0 Buick Opel 4453 26 . 3.0 10 2230 170 34 304 2.87 0 Buick Regal 5189 20 3 2.0 16 3280 200 42 196 2.93 0 Buick Riviera 10372 16 3 3.5 17 3880 207 43 231 2.93 0 Buick Skylark 4082 19 3 3.5 13 3400 200 42 231 3.08 0 Cad. Deville 11385 14 3 4.0 20 4330 221 44 425 2.28 0 Cad. Eldorado 14500 14 2 3.5 16 3900 204 43 350 2.19 0 Cad. Seville 15906 21 3 3.0 13 4290 204 45 350 2.24 0 Chev. Chevette 3299 29 3 2.5 9 2110 163 34 231 2.93 0 Chev. Impala 5705 16 4 4.0 20 3690 212 43 250 2.56 0 Chev. Malibu 4504 22 3 3.5 17 3180 193 31 200 2.73 0 Chev. Monte Carlo 5104 22 2 2.0 16 3220 200 41 200 2.73 0 Chev. Monza 3667 24 2 2.0 7 2750 179 40 151 2.73 0 Chev. Nova 3955 19 3 3.5 13 3430 197 43 250 2.56 0 Datsun 200 6229 23 4 1.5 6 2370 170 35 119 3.89 1 Datsun 210 4589 35 5 2.0 8 2020 165 32 85 3.70 1 Datsun 510 5079 24 4 2.5 8 2280 170 34 119 3.54 1 Datsun 810 8129 21 4 2.5 8 2750 184 38 146 3.55 1 Dodge Colt 3984 30 5 2.0 8 2120 163 35 98 3.54 0 Dodge Diplomat 4010 18 2 4.0 17 3600 206 46 318 2.47 0 Dodge Magnum 5886 16 2 4.0 17 3600 206 46 318 2.47 0 Dodge St. Regis 6342 17 2 4.5 21 3740 220 46 225 2.94 0 Fiat Strada 4296 21 3 2.5 16 2130 161 36 105 3.37 1 Ford Fiesta 4389 28 4 1.5 9 1800 147 33 98 3.15 0 Ford Mustang 4187 21 3 2.0 10 2650 179 43 140 3.08 0 Honda Accord 5799 25 5 3.0 10 2240 172 36 107 3.05 1 Honda Civic 4499 28 4 2.5 5 1760 149 34 91 3.30 1 Linc. Continental 11497 12 3 3.5 22 4840 233 51 400 2.47 0 Linc. Mark V 13594 12 3 2.5 18 4720 230 48 400 2.47 0 Linc. Versailles 13466 14 3 3.5 15 3830 201 41 302 2.47 0 Mazda GLC 3995 30 4 3.5 11 1980 154 33 86 3.73 1 Merc. Bobcat 3829 22 4 3.0 9 2580 169 39 140 2.73 0 Merc. Cougar 5379 14 4 3.5 16 4060 221 48 302 2.75 0 Merc. Marquis 6165 15 3 3.5 23 3720 212 44 302 2.26 0 Merc. Monarch 4516 18 3 3.0 15 3370 198 41 250 2.43 0 Merc. XR-7 6303 14 4 3.0 16 4130 217 45 302 2.75 0 Merc. Zephyr 3291 20 3 3.5 17 2830 195 43 140 3.08 0 Olds 98 8814 21 4 4.0 20 4060 220 43 350 2.41 0 Olds Cutl Supr 5172 19 3 2.0 16 3310 198 42 231 2.93 0 Olds Cutlass 4733 19 3 4.5 16 3300 198 42 231 2.93 0 Olds Delta 88 4890 18 4 4.0 20 3690 218 42 231 2.73 0 Olds Omega 4181 19 3 4.5 14 3370 200 43 231 3.08 0 Olds Starfire 4195 24 1 2.0 10 2730 180 40 151 2.73 0 Olds Toronado 10371 16 3 3.5 17 4030 206 43 350 2.41 0 Peugeot 604 12990 14 . 3.5 14 3420 192 38 163 3.58 1 Plym. Arrow 4647 28 3 2.0 11 3260 170 37 156 3.05 0 Plym. Champ 4425 34 5 2.5 11 1800 157 37 86 2.97 0 Plym. Horizon 4482 25 3 4.0 17 2200 165 36 105 3.37 0 Plym. Sapporo 6486 26 . 1.5 8 2520 182 38 119 3.54 0 Plym. Volare 4060 18 2 5.0 16 3330 201 44 225 3.23 0 Pont. Catalina 5798 18 4 4.0 20 3700 214 42 231 2.73 0 Pont. Firebird 4934 18 1 1.5 7 3470 198 42 231 3.08 0 Pont. Grand Prix 5222 19 3 2.0 16 3210 201 45 231 2.93 0 Pont. Le Mans 4723 19 3 3.5 17 3200 199 40 231 2.93 0 Pont. Phoenix 4424 19 . 3.5 13 3420 203 43 231 3.08 0 Pont. Sunbird 4172 24 2 2.0 7 2690 179 41 151 2.73 0 Renault Le Car 3895 26 3 3.0 10 1830 142 34 79 3.72 1 Subaru 3798 35 5 2.5 11 2050 164 36 97 3.81 1 Toyota Celica 5899 18 5 2.5 14 2410 174 36 134 3.06 1 Toyota Corolla 3748 31 5 3.0 9 2200 165 35 97 3.21 1 Toyota Corona 5719 18 5 2.0 11 2670 175 36 134 3.05 1 Volvo 260 11995 17 5 2.5 14 3170 193 37 163 2.98 1 VW Dasher 7140 23 4 2.5 12 2160 172 36 97 3.74 1 VW Diesel 5397 41 5 3.0 15 2040 155 35 90 3.78 1 VW Rabbit 4697 25 4 3.0 15 1930 155 35 89 3.78 1 VW Scirocco 6850 25 4 2.0 16 1990 156 36 97 3.78 1 ; RUN;PROC CONTENTS DATA=auto; RUN;
The proc contents provides information about the file.
CONTENTS PROCEDURE Data Set Name: WORK.AUTO Observations: 74 Member Type: DATA Variables: 12 -----Alphabetic List of Variables and Attributes----- # Variable Type Len Pos ------------------------------------ 10 DISPL Num 8 84 12 FOREIGN Num 8 100 11 GRATIO Num 8 92 5 HDROOM Num 8 44 8 LENGTH Num 8 68 1 MAKE Char 20 0 3 MPG Num 8 28 2 PRICE Num 8 20 4 REP78 Num 8 36 6 TRUNK Num 8 52 9 TURN Num 8 76 7 WEIGHT Num 8 60
2. Subsetting variables
For example, if we wanted to examine the relationship between mpg and price for various makes, but had no interest in the automobile’s dimensions, we could create a smaller file, by keeping only these three variables.
DATA auto2; SET auto; KEEP make mpg price; RUN;
To verify the contents of the new file, run the proc contents command again.
PROC CONTENTS DATA=AUTO2; RUN; CONTENTS PROCEDURE Data Set Name: WORK.AUTO2 Observations: 74 Member Type: DATA Variables: 3 -----Alphabetic List of Variables and Attributes----- # Variable Type Len Pos ----------------------------------- 1 MAKE Char 20 0 3 MPG Num 8 28 2 PRICE Num 8 20
Note that the number of observations, or records, remains unchanged. This program makes a smaller version of auto called auto2 that just has the three variables make mpg and price. The new file, named auto2, is identical to auto except that it contains only the variables listed in the keep statement. To compare the contents of the two files, run proc contents on each.
PROC CONTENTS DATA = auto; RUN; PROC CONTENTS DATA = auto2; RUN;
The output is shown below.
CONTENTS PROCEDURE Data Set Name: WORK.AUTO Observations: 74 Member Type: DATA Variables: 12 -----Alphabetic List of Variables and Attributes----- # Variable Type Len Pos ------------------------------------ 10 DISPL Num 8 84 12 FOREIGN Num 8 100 11 GRATIO Num 8 92 5 HDROOM Num 8 44 8 LENGTH Num 8 68 1 MAKE Char 20 0 3 MPG Num 8 28 2 PRICE Num 8 20 4 REP78 Num 8 36 6 TRUNK Num 8 52 9 TURN Num 8 76 7 WEIGHT Num 8 60 CONTENTS PROCEDURE Data Set Name: WORK.AUTO2 Observations: 74 Member Type: DATA Variables: 3 -----Alphabetic List of Variables and Attributes----- # Variable Type Len Pos ----------------------------------- 1 MAKE Char 20 0 3 MPG Num 8 28 2 PRICE Num 8 20
Conversely, we can obtain the same results by using the drop statement.
DATA auto3; SET auto; DROP rep78 hdroom trunk weight length turn displ gratio foreign; RUN;
The keep statement names variables to include, while the drop statement names variables to exclude.
Proc contents confirms the results.
PROC CONTENTS DATA = auto3; RUN;CONTENTS PROCEDURE Data Set Name: WORK.AUTO3 Observations: 74 Member Type: DATA Variables: 3 -----Alphabetic List of Variables and Attributes----- # Variable Type Len Pos ----------------------------------- 1 MAKE Char 20 0 3 MPG Num 8 28 2 PRICE Num 8 20
Notice that the number of observations in all the examples above remain constant. The keep and drop statements control the selection of variables only.
3. Subsetting observations
The above illustrates the use of keep and drop statements and data step options to select variables.
The subsetting if is typically used to control the selection of records in the file. Records, or observations in SAS, correspond to rows in a spreadsheet application.
The auto file contains a variable rep78 with data values from 1 to 5, and missing, which we ascertain from running the following program.
PROC FREQ DATA = auto ; TABLES rep78 / MISSING ; RUN ;
Cumulative Cumulative
REP78 Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
---------------------------------------------------
. 5 6.8 5 6.8
1 2 2.7 7 9.5
2 8 10.8 15 20.3
3 30 40.5 45 60.8
4 18 24.3 63 85.1
5 11 14.9 74 100.0
Note that this program includes the / missing option on the tables statement. Without it, SAS will print only frequencies for non-missing values.
If we are only interested in cars with data for rep78 is not missing, we may eliminate records with missing data from the file by using a subsetting if.
DATA auto2; SET auto; IF rep78 ^= . ; RUN;
This program creates a new file auto2 which will be identical to auto, except that it will include only observations where rep78 has a value other than missing. proc freq verifies the change.
PROC FREQ DATA=auto2; TABLES rep78 / MISSING ; RUN;
Cumulative Cumulative REP78 Frequency Percent Frequency Percent --------------------------------------------------- 1 2 2.9 2 2.9 2 8 11.6 10 14.5 3 30 43.5 40 58.0 4 18 26.1 58 84.1 5 11 15.9 69 100.0
The subsetting if specifies which observations to keep, i.e., only cars with data for rep78. Alternately, we may use the delete statement to specify which observations to eliminate from the file.
The following program keeps in the output file only cars with repair ratings of 3 or less.
DATA auto2; SET auto; IF rep78 > 3 THEN DELETE ; RUN;
Let’s check the results using proc freq.
PROC FREQ DATA = auto2; TABLES rep78 / MISSING ; RUN;
Cumulative Cumulative REP78 Frequency Percent Frequency Percent --------------------------------------------------- . 5 11.1 5 11.1 1 2 4.4 7 15.6 2 8 17.8 15 33.3 3 30 66.7 45 100.0
Using the subsetting if statement as follows yields the same result.
DATA auto2; SET auto; IF (rep78 <= 3);
The results from proc freq confirm this.
PROC FREQ DATA = auto2; TABLES rep78 / MISSING; RUN;
Cumulative Cumulative
REP78 Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
---------------------------------------------------
. 5 11.1 5 11.1
1 2 4.4 7 15.6
2 8 17.8 15 33.3
3 30 66.7 45 100.0
Note that missing values are included, since missing values are smaller than any other value. To delete missing values, change the program as follows.
DATA auto2; SET auto; IF (rep78 <= 3) AND (rep78 ^= .); run;
Proc freq confirms that missing values have been deleted.
PROC FREQ DATA = auto2; TABLES rep78 / MISSING ; RUN;
REP78 Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
---------------------------------------------------
1 2 5.0 2 5.0
2 8 20.0 10 25.0
3 30 75.0 40 100.0
4. Problems to look out for
- When you create a subset of your original data, sometimes you may drop variables or cases that you did not intend to drop. If you find variables or cases are gone that should not be gone, double check your subsetting commands.
5. For more information
- For information on making SAS data files from raw data see Inputting data into SAS.
- For information about making permanent SAS data files, see Reading and writing SAS system files
- For more advanced issues in subsetting, data transformations and data manipulation see Data transformations and manipulation in SAS in the SAS Library- Web page resources
6. Web notes
-
You can view the SAS program associated with this module by clicking subset.sas. While viewing the file, you can save it by choosing File then Save As from the pull-down menu of your web browser. In the Save As dialog box, change the file name to subset.sas and then choose the directory where you want to save the file, then click Save.