You can't get SORT SORT to do that. You would have to do a PROC SORT followed by a data step. I think you could also do it with PROC SQL, but I suspect it would be harder to follow and take longer to execute.

I'm not on a machine with SAS installed at the moment, so I can't try it, but my approach would be

- Sort the data set by all fields, with Cancel last.

- Use a double DOW-loop to process the data. In the first loop, determine whether you have a canceled group (using all the variables except Cancel in the BY statement). In the second loop, apply your findings to the output observations.

On Thu, 1 May 2008 15:09:45 -0700, "MBWD" <xmbwdx@GMAIL.COM> said: > I can't figure out how to get the below data to dedupe (sort of) by > deleting the two canceled observations AND their two counterparts (or > alternatively, just creating a binary variably 1,0 for those > observations that match the cancel row). > > This would delete all but rows 1 and 6. Rows 2 and 3 are counterparts > in a cancel transaction. So are rows 3 and 4. > > Account Name B Cancel Quantity Stock Price Entry Date Net > ABC1234 Fred S -175 XOM $89.00 12/1/2007 > ($15,575.00) > ABC1234 Fred S -175 XOM $89.00 1/5/2008 > ($15,575.00) > ABC1234 Fred S X 175 XOM $89.00 1/5/2008 > $15,575.00 > ABC1234 Fred S -175 XOM $89.00 1/8/2008 > ($15,575.00) > ABC1234 Fred S X 175 XOM $89.00 1/8/2008 > $15,575.00 > ABC1234 Fred B 105 ATT $25.00 12/1/2007 > $2,625.00 > > > In addition, it would be very helpful if someone know how to get the > PROC SORT DUPKEY method to NOT delete any observations, but rather > just mark as "1" and "0" those observations that it would have > deleted. > > Thanks for any and all help!!

-- Jack Hamilton Sacramento, California jfh@alumni.stanford.org