Date:         Thu, 5 Apr 2007 20:24:21 -0500
Reply-To:     Paula Sims <me@HERE.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Paula Sims <me@HERE.COM>
Organization: AT&T http://yahoo.sbc.com
Subject:      Re: Remove duplicates keeping only the earliest date
Comments: To: sas-l@uga.edu
In-Reply-To:  <1175806778.470237.288980@d57g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

sdlenter wrote:
> I am trying to Remove duplicates keeping only the earliest date
>
>
>
> example
>
> 1212   er   tr  2007054
> 1212  er   tr   20050505
> 1212  er   tr   20070404
> 1215 yt   uy  20050401
> so only 2nd one would be kept:  1212  er   tr   20050505
>

We do this all the time at work. PROC SQL works great.

PROC SQL;
CREATE TABLE TWO AS
SELECT A.ID,
        A.VAR2,
        A.VAR3,
        A.DATE
FROM ONE A
WHERE A.DATE = (SELECT MAX(DATE) FROM ONE
                WHERE ID = A.ID);

QUIT;
RUN;

Paula