The suggestion by both Jaack Shoemaker and Bernard Tremblay to use if first.pat_id then pat_num+1; doesn't work for some reason.

(I think Joe forgot the retain statement, but I tried it both ways and neither worked)/

All I get is a vector of ones! :(

Although I could use the _n_ option, I'd like to nail this programming issue because it will be useful to know.

anyone?

Lea

In article <62AAE2DBEFD3D211841A0008C74568010150F2D4@EXCHANGE>, Jack Shoemaker <JShoemaker@ACCORDANT.NET> wrote: > Lea, > > I think you're looking for this: > > data two; > set oneb; > by pat_id; > if first.pat_id then pat_num + 1; > run; > > -- > Jack N Shoemaker / JShoemaker@Accordant.net > Visit our patient communities at http://www.accordant.com or our corporate > site http://www.accordant.net > > -----Original Message----- > From: leamw@MY-DEJA.COM [mailto:leamw@MY-DEJA.COM] > Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2000 2:54 PM > To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU > Subject: newbie Retain question > > Hi: > > I know I'm doing something wrong here.. I just can't figure out what. > > I have a list of patient identifiers that are coded alphanumericallly. > I need them to be numeric. I thought that what I'd do is to just simply > number them from 1 to n using a retain and a sum statement like this: > > data two; > set oneb; > by pat_id; > pat_num=1; > > retain pat_num 1; > if first.pat_id then do; > pat_num=sum(pat_num,1); > end; > run; > > Of course all I get is the value of 2 for pat_num. > I have tried to replace the if statement with > things like: if pat_num ne 0 then do; > but this doesn't work either > > What am I doing wrong? > > Thanks > > Lea > > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ > Before you buy. >

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.