so what is wrong with a structure I consider to be very clear and why say "(the structure should probably be avoided)" ?

puddin'man say....... "" It seems, however, I've run across several programs resembling:

data ...; set ...; ... if <cond1>; ... if <cond2>; ... if <condition testing _n_> then <take action>; ...

and if folks dealing with such code didn't know when _n_ incremented, they would likely get into trouble. They may anyway (the structure should probably be avoided). ""

I don't expect you have run across any of my code, but the above style IMHO wins hands down over the corresponding over-weighty nested "if then do end else do end" structures.

It is allways disappointing when testing the end-of-data conditions preclude subsetting if statements.

The prerequisite for encouraging use of the "subsetting if" is that maintainers of the code understand the principle.

Surely ( like understanding _n_ ) that is not much to ask ?

Would you want the applications you create to be "enhanced" by maintenance programmers who are learning to program ?

with kind regards

Peter Crawford

Datum: 01/11/2000 02:54 An: SAS-L@listserv.uga.edu

Antwort an: pudding_man@postmark.net

Betreff: Re: SAS/Base: automatic variable _n_ behavior Nachrichtentext:

> This would argue for an increment occuring at the start rather than the > end of the loop. Where atomic distinctions are critical, the accuracy > may be helpful.

I dunno no "atomic". :-)

> Wassup, Puddin'?

Not much, really. Wasn't my intention to make a "big deal" about it ...

It seems, however, I've run across several programs resembling:

data ...; set ...; ... if <cond1>; ... if <cond2>; ... if <condition testing _n_> then <take action>; ...

and if folks dealing with such code didn't know when _n_ incremented, they would likely get into trouble. They may anyway (the structure should probably be avoided).

And, besides, Greg _was_ correct.

I thought you had an alpha or beta of Linux/SAS. Perhaps it hasn't been released ...

Puddin'

"Now, I may look like I'm crazy, but po' John do know right from wrong!" -from "Drop Down, Mama", Sleepy John Estes

******************************************************* *** Puddin' Man *** Pudding_Man@postmark.net ***** ******************************************************;

kmself@IX.NETCOM.COM wrote:

> on Tue, Oct 31, 2000 at 08:25:31PM +0000, Puddin' Man (pudding_man@postmark.net) wrote: > > I don't think you have to pass thru the implied RETURN > > to increment _N_. > > > > The following suggests that Greg may be correct: > > > > 8 data a; > > 9 do i=1 to 9; output; end; > > > > NOTE: The data set WORK.A has 9 observations and 1 variables. > > NOTE: DATA statement used: > > real time 0.12 seconds > > cpu time 0.02 seconds > > > > > > 10 data b; > > 11 set a; > > 12 if 3<i<6 then delete; > > 13 put i= _n_=; > > 14 run; > > > > i=1 _N_=1 > > i=2 _N_=2 > > i=3 _N_=3 > > i=6 _N_=6 > > i=7 _N_=7 > > i=8 _N_=8 > > i=9 _N_=9 > > NOTE: There were 9 observations read from the dataset WORK.A. > > NOTE: The data set WORK.B has 7 observations and 1 variables. > > NOTE: DATA statement used: > > real time 0.12 seconds > > cpu time 0.02 seconds > > This would argue for an increment occuring at the start rather than the > end of the loop. Where atomic distinctions are critical, the accuracy > may be helpful. > > Wassup, Puddin'? > > -- > Karsten M. Self <kmself@ix.netcom.com> http://www.netcom.com/~kmself > Evangelist, Opensales, Inc. http://www.opensales.org > What part of "Gestalt" don't you understand? There is no K5 cabal > http://gestalt-system.sourceforge.net/ http://www.kuro5hin.org >

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