Date:         Mon, 19 Dec 2005 21:48:14 -0800
Reply-To:     David L Cassell <davidlcassell@MSN.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         David L Cassell <davidlcassell@MSN.COM>
Subject:      Re: Proc SQL - referencing a library
In-Reply-To:  <200512200527.jBK5QcTk008883@malibu.cc.uga.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

SAS_L@LISTSERV.EDU.AU wrote:
>My undersatnding (limited) is that in PROC SQL, "a.var," can refer to the
>variable called var in the dataset called a. What if the dataset called a
>is
>in a library called "lib"? "lib.a.var" wont work (too many periods) - how
>do
>I reference variable var in dataset a in library lib in Proc SQL?

Don't make things so hard.  Take PROC SQL (and SQL in general) a line at a
time.
First, make a table alias.  So you have Var1 in data set lib.barf .  Make a
table alias
in the FROM component, and use that:

proc sql;
  select a.Var1
  from lib.barf as a;
  quit;


But if you only have *one* data set, then you don't even have to work this
hard.

proc sql;
  select Var1
  from lib.barf;
  quit;


It's when you need to refer more than one data set that the table aliases
become
convenient.

HTH,
David
--
David L. Cassell
mathematical statistician
Design Pathways
3115 NW Norwood Pl.
Corvallis OR 97330

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