Date:         Fri, 10 Nov 2000 10:13:03 -0800
Reply-To:     "Terjeson, Mark" <TERJEMW@DSHS.WA.GOV>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         "Terjeson, Mark" <TERJEMW@DSHS.WA.GOV>
Subject:      Re: How to convert all variable names into upper cases?
Comments: To: Victor Kamensky <kamensky@AECOM.YU.EDU>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi Victor,

First off, there's nothing wrong with "working" code.
Your macro indeed does the job.

I'm not sure what all characteristics you're looking
for, but here's one alternative:


option VALIDVARNAME=UPCASE;

This command immediately converts, not only
field names but dataset names as well, for all
previously opened datasets and subsequent
datasets via the sashelp.vcolumn table.  Which
means, while your session is open, all existing
datasets look and process like they were upper
(even though they are still stored on disk as
they were previously) and any newly written
datasets will be stored as upper.

example:


libname ccc 'c:\temp';
data ccc.test;  * currently stored on disk as mixed case ;
    AAA = 1;
    bbb = 2;
    Ccc = 3;
run;

option VALIDVARNAME=UPCASE;

data ccc.test2; * will store on disk as upper ;
    set ccc.test;
run;

Hope this is helpful,
Mark Terjeson
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
Division of Research and Data Analysis (RDA)
mailto:terjemw@dshs.wa.gov




-----Original Message-----
From: Victor Kamensky [mailto:kamensky@AECOM.YU.EDU]
Sent: Friday, November 10, 2000 9:36 AM
To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: How to convert all variable names into upper cases?


Hi,SAS-L-ers!
a). The problem. (V8).
   Variable names can be in uppercase and in lowercase.
   Sometimes alphabetical order in proc contents  is desired.
   How to convert all variable names into upper cases?
b) My quick tested solution:

%macro upvar(dataset);
   proc contents noprint data=&dataset out=_c_(keep=name);run;
   %let nobs=0;
   data _c_; set _c_; length upname $ 32;
     upname=upcase(name);
     if upname^=name;
     call symput('nobs','1');
    run;
   %if &nobs >  0 %then
   %do  ;
    data _null_; set _c_ end=last;
     if _N_=1 then
      call execute("data &dataset; set &dataset; rename");
     call execute(name||'='||upname);
     if last then
      call execute("; run;");
     run;
   %end;
%mend upvar;

c) I understand my solution is old-fashioned.
   Surely someone can come with a modern solution.
    But will it be simpler? Or (and) shorter?
Victor Kamensky
Programmer
Albert Einstein College of Medicine