Variable List Short-Cuts in PROC SQL

From sasCommunity

[edit] Author

Ken Borowiak

[edit] Abstract

PROC SQL queries require the SELECT statement to specify the variables to be included in the output destination. You have the option to explicitly state which variables to keep or use the * wildcard as a short-cut to select all fields from some or all tables involved in the query. Have you ever encountered the problem of having to choose between typing in a long list of variables to keep or use the * to select more variables than are actually needed? Have you ever wanted to select all the fields from a table except for one or two fields? Using the DROP and KEEP data set options are particularly useful for alleviating these conundrums. Moreover, these data set options allow you to use variable list short-cuts that are not available in the SELECT statement.

[edit] Paper and Presentation

Image:Variable List Short-Cuts in PROC SQL.ppt

Image:SQL Variable list short cuts.pdf