Date:         Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:50:12 -0500
Reply-To:     "Howard Schreier <hs AT dc-sug DOT org>"
              <schreier.junk.mail@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         "Howard Schreier <hs AT dc-sug DOT org>"
              <schreier.junk.mail@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: comparing score range between variables

On Thu, 18 Dec 2008 07:29:39 -0800, Bill McKirgan <Bill.McKirgan@GMAIL.COM>
wrote:

>On Dec 17, 9:34 pm, hs AT dc-sug DOT org ("Howard Schreier)" wrote:
>> On Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:19:55 -0800, Bill McKirgan <Bill.McKir...@GMAIL.COM>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> >Hi SASers,
>>
>> >I'm trying to think of a more elegant (read shorter) way of coding the
>> >example I provide below.  In the example I am comparing a variable
>> >called FSIQ with another variable PIQ to see if PIQ is within plus/
>> >minus 5 points of FSIQ.  This works, but I need to apply it to a bunch
>> >of other variables, and would like to avoid a large copy/paste/modify
>> >job that may cause me to introduce errors.
>>
>> >Can anyone suggest one or more shorter ways of doing this?  Perhaps an
>> >array?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  I'm stumped.  Many
>> >thanks in advance.
>>
>> >-- Bill
>>
>> >data testing; set itbs.iq_data_final;
>>
>> >piq_within_5pts = 0;
>>
>> >if fsiq = piq then piq_within_5pts  = 1; else
>>
>> >if fsiq = piq + 1 then piq_within_5pts  = 1; else
>> >if fsiq = piq + 2 then piq_within_5pts  = 1; else
>> >if fsiq = piq + 3 then piq_within_5pts  = 1; else
>> >if fsiq = piq + 4 then piq_within_5pts  = 1; else
>> >if fsiq = piq + 5 then piq_within_5pts  = 1; else
>>
>> >if fsiq = piq - 1 then piq_within_5pts  = 1; else
>> >if fsiq = piq - 2 then piq_within_5pts  = 1; else
>> >if fsiq = piq - 3 then piq_within_5pts  = 1; else
>> >if fsiq = piq - 4 then piq_within_5pts  = 1; else
>> >if fsiq = piq - 5 then piq_within_5pts  = 1;
>>
>> >put fsiq piq @20 piq_within_5pts ;
>>
>> >run;
>>
>> I trust that there are no missing values. Bill's code actually returns a 1
>> (true) result if both variables are missing; probably not wanted.
>>
>> Here is a technique which is almost exactly equivalent, but is much shorter
>> and generates a 0 (false) given two missing values:
>>
>>    piq_within_5pts  = (piq - fsiq) in (-5 : 5);- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
>Howard,
>
>I can see this works, but I must confess, I don't understand how 'in
>(-5 : 5)' works as it does.
>
>Can you explain it a bit for me?
>
>Many thanks,
>Bill

See the documentation for the IN operator: http://tinyurl.com/4w5hen or
http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/lrcon/59522/HTML/default/a000780367.htm