Date:         Thu, 5 Apr 2007 21:01:12 -0700
Reply-To:     sbarry@SBBWORKS.COM
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Scott Barry <sbarry@SBBWORKS.COM>
Organization: http://groups.google.com
Subject:      Re: Remove duplicates keeping only the earliest date
Comments: To: sas-l@uga.edu
In-Reply-To:  <1175811478.550494.221130@e65g2000hsc.googlegroups.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

On Apr 5, 6:17 pm, "sdlenter" <sdlent...@aol.com> wrote:
> On Apr 5, 2:24 pm, barry.a.schw...@BOEING.COM ("Schwarz, Barry A")
> wrote:
>
> > What kind ofdateis the firstobservation?  Wouldn't the fourth be kept
> > also?  Are the dates true SAS dates?  Which of the three non-datefields
> > is the key?
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: sdlenter [mailto:snip]
> > Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 2:00 PM
> > To: S...@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> > Subject: Remove duplicateskeepingonly theearliestdate
>
> > I am trying to Remove duplicateskeepingonly theearliestdate
>
> > 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- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> yes the 4th one would be kept as well.
> dates are in yyyymmdd format and there is another field with sas date
> the key are the first three fields  (out of 20 or more)

And your contribution to the ultimate objective/goal is?

Please people, go beyond the inherent level-1 inference opportunities
and either move on to a substantiated response or pass it by!!

Scott Barry
SBBWorks, Inc.