Date:         Thu, 18 Nov 2004 08:51:53 -0500
Reply-To:     "Richard A. DeVenezia" <radevenz@IX.NETCOM.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         "Richard A. DeVenezia" <radevenz@IX.NETCOM.COM>
Subject:      Re: LIKE statement as a regular SAS expression???

Saqi wrote:
> I am generating an HTML table using put statement.  I would like to
> output the link only where prod_code is like C for everything else I
> don't want to put the link out.
>
> If prod_code like 'C%' then
>    do;
>    put @134 '<TD WIDTH="235" ALIGN="CENTER"><FONT FACE="Arial"
>                                    SIZE="2"> <A HREF='my_link'
> TARGET="_top">Click Here</A></FONT></TD>';
>   end;
>
> but it is complaining about like.  Like can only be used with where
> statement.  Can you please put me in the right direction??
>
> Regards
>
> Jan

In this case your matching is very simple, so other string operators and
functions will work

  if prod_code =: 'C' ...
-or-
  if index (prod_code,"C") = 1 ...
-or-
  if substr(prod_code,1,1) = 'C' ...
-or-
... a couple other ways ...

For general pattern matching using regular expressions you would want to use
RX or PRX function.

--
Richard A. DeVenezia
http://www.devenezia.com/