Gordon,

I really do not have a better answer than Ya Huang's, below. However, I couldn't help recalling that there are always commands behind tools, even in V6. The command to launch the V6 "libraries" window is DLGLIB. It still works in V8.2.

Alas, when you right-click on a dataset in that window and choose the "VAR window", you get the same V8 properties window with the columns selection that you get via SAS Explorer. You can "find" in that window but only by Column Name and only experimentally (i.e., SAS disavows helping you in any way if it doesn't work). I do not know if the V6 VAR window still exists or if you could find the "behind the click" command for it. Perhaps some guru on the "L" could.

With that restriction, Ya's solution holds the distinct advantage of being able to search any which way you wish as you would in any other table or view. It is clutzier in that you have to filter for your library and table. Also you cannot easily cut and paste column names as you can with the Alt key in V6.

Perhaps that can be food for thought for the little birdies, and perhaps that guru can tell us if we can and how to reach that V6 VAR window in V8.

Any takers?

Rob

-----Original Message----- From: Huang, Ya [mailto:ya.huang@PFIZER.COM] Sent: Monday, July 08, 2002 11:44 AM Subject: Re: how to seach view columns ???

How about taking advantage of SASHELP view?

Click explore icon -> click sashlep -> click vcolumn -> type in your query in the command window, such as, where memname='FLAGS' and name like 'P%'

Kind regards,

Ya Huang

-----Original Message----- From: Gordon Keeler [mailto:gkeeler@PSYCH.MC.DUKE.EDU] Sent: Monday, July 08, 2002 9:24 AM To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Subject: Re: how to seach view columns ???

Hi Gang. Peter's reply (Thanks!) shows that I need to be more specific with details of my problem, so here goes:

(Peter writes: <snip> there appears to be no "old" search facility <snip>)

Since there was no 'View Columns' window in V6, Peter is correct. It was possible to take a similar action in SAS for windows V6.12 using the 'VAR' window.

(To be more specific....) In SASWin V6.12, you can - open the libraries window, - choose a library, - right click on a dataset, - choose 'VAR window' from the popup menu, and a 'VAR' window appears.

This 'VAR' window can be searched by - going to the edit menu, - choosing find, and typing in the phrase you're looking for. The 'VAR' window is also great for cutting and pasting lists of variables or labels using the ALT button and mouse to get columnar edits.

(Peter also wrote: <snip> Once the variables are in order, locating the one you seek should be simplified. <snip>)

Unfortunately, my SAS day is filled with datasets containing 10,000 to 20,000 variables. Size is limited here by SAS's ability to handle more variables in a dataset. Searching by hand is not efficient method and I still keep SAS V6.12 around for its ability to do the finding for me.

I can always run PROC CONTENTS and use the edit/find method in the output window. Anyone have an alternate method using the information in V8's Explorer ???

Thanks again, Gordon

--------------------------- Gordon Keeler, statistician Dept. of Psychiatry Duke University Med Center gkeeler@psych.mc.duke.edu ---------------------------