Date:         Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:53:00 -0400
Reply-To:     Norman Weston <nweston@AMGEN.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Norman Weston <nweston@AMGEN.COM>
Subject:      Help with multi tier if then statement (or best option)

I am putting together a simple Datastep and am having a problem.  I have
four flags within each data row, any one of which can either have a value
or be blank.  the intent is, based on conditional logic (or best method
suggested) is to generate a fifth value that is an amalgum of all the
previous four.  Example to follow.

Fields are

FLG1
FLG2
FLG3
FLG4

The values in the fields match the field name.  Where there is a value in
the fields FLG1, FLG3 and FLG4, the end result based on the output is as
follows

FLG1_FLG3_FLG4

If there were only data in FLG2, the outcome value would be

FLG2

You get the point.  But literally there could be any combination of values
from any of the four fields.

Anyway, I can set up conditional logic (a flip diagram) that covers all
possible combinations but would prefer something more dynamic and less
cumbersome than 20-30 lines of if_then code.

I tried using a simple concat, but I have to hard code in the "_" and this
invariably leaves me with leading and following "_" which I want to avoid.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.