Date:         Fri, 6 Jul 2007 16:45:49 -0400
Reply-To:     "Fehd, Ronald J. (CDC/CCHIS/NCPHI)" <rjf2@CDC.GOV>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         "Fehd, Ronald J. (CDC/CCHIS/NCPHI)" <rjf2@CDC.GOV>
Subject:      Re: Array Question : Accessing original variable name that
              indexed array variable points to
In-Reply-To:  <89C159F45B13A24682D98BDEF58E451F1066E4DE@TLRUSMNEAGMBX28.ERF.THOMSON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

> From: matt.pettis
> Subject: Array Question : Accessing original variable name
> that indexed array variable points to
>
> Hi,
>
> Is there any function that allows me to access the variable
> name of the variable that the current indexed array is
> pointing at?

you want to RTFM on call vname

> Here is an example:
>
> data _null_;

attrib Vname length = $ 32;

>   array x {3} a b c;

retain Testing 1;

>   set work;
>   do i=1 to dim(x);
>     /* Is there a way to programatically see that */
>     /* the name of the variable that */
>     /* x{i} points to is 'a', 'b', or 'c', depending on */
>     /* what value i is in the loop? */

         call vname(x(I),Vname);
if Testing then putlog Vname= X(I)=;

>   end;
>   run;

I don't guarantee that the putlog will write both values

Ron Fehd  the macro maven  CDC Atlanta GA USA RJF2 at cdc dot gov