Date:         Fri, 11 Apr 2003 12:32:28 -0400
Reply-To:     diskin.dennis@KENDLE.COM
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         diskin.dennis@KENDLE.COM
Subject:      Re: Adding variable with constant value to big SAS dataset
Comments: To: Jan Sollmann <jan.sollmann@AXA-FINANCIAL.COM>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Jan,

It depends on what you are going to do with the new dataset. As Roland
pointed out, The retain is somewhat more efficient than an assignment
statement.
If you are creating the new dataset just to input into a process, then you
could create a view instead. For example:

data a / view=a;
  set b;
  retain new_var 'constant';
run;

Otherwise, if you actually need the dataset changed the, no you must read
in the entire old dataset and write out the new one.

HTH,
Dennis Diskin




From:  Jan Sollmann <jan.sollmann@AXA-FINANCIAL.COM>@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on
       04/11/2003 12:08 PM

Please respond to Jan Sollmann <jan.sollmann@AXA-FINANCIAL.COM>

Sent by:    "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>


To:    SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
cc:

Subject:    Adding variable with constant value to big SAS dataset


I want to add a new character variable with a constant value to a very
big existing dataset. The obvious way to do this would be:

data a;
  set b;
  new_var='constant';
run;

Is there a way to achieve this without inputing the whole dataset,
which is very time consuming?