Hi David,

In your last example you didn't read (SET) dataset Temp1 at all while creating Temp2, so an error is inevitable. But I think you wanted to show the example with a SET statement just _after_ the ARRAY statement. Then the comment you gave applies I think. Did you intend it that way?

Regards - Jim. -- Jim Groeneveld, Netherlands Statistician, SAS consultant home.hccnet.nl/jim.groeneveld

On Sun, 5 Nov 2006 22:32:53 -0800, David L Cassell <davidlcassell@MSN.COM> wrote:

>Didja know that: > >In addition to the > var1-var9 >style of variable lists and the > onevariable --anothervariable >style of variable lists, that you can say: > v: >and get all the variables in the data set which start with V? > >Or you can say: > arc: >and get all the variables in the data set which start with 'arc'? > >And didja know that people stumble on this one a lot because >they forget this covers everything wit that starting letter >sequence? > >If you have variables D1-D11 and D31-D41, along with variables >debt and profit and margin and trade, then what do you get with: > > d: > >Well, you get D1-D11 and D31-D41, but you also get DEBT >which starts with 'D' but is hiding somewhere else in the >data set. So it's extremely useful, but easy to trip over. > >Or try this: > > >data temp1; > retain d1-d9 42; > do i = 1 to 10; output; end; > run; > >data temp2; > array a{*} d: ; > put a{4}; > run; > > >Now look at the error messages. SAS cannot build that array >until it has read in the data set TEMP1, because it has to parse >through TEMP1 to find the variables matching that list descriptor. > >So here's another way in which var: is likely to cause problems. > > >David >-- >David L. Cassell >mathematical statistician >Design Pathways >3115 NW Norwood Pl. >Corvallis OR 97330 > >_________________________________________________________________ >Find a local pizza place, music store, museum and more�then map the best >route! http://local.live.com?FORM=MGA001