On Thu, 22 Jan 2009 06:59:41 -0800, ash007 <RamsamyAshley@GMAIL.COM> wrote:

>I want to put all the date variable in a macro variable. thanks. > >mv = date1 date2 ....

Ashley,

try this:

* test data set. First variable has date. format, second contains word "date" ; data test; attrib birthday length = 8 birthday format = date. date1 length = 8 ; birthday = today(); date1 = today(); run;

* put column names into macro mv ; proc sql noprint; select name into :mv separated by ' ' from dictionary.columns where libname = "WORK" and memname = "TEST" and (index(name,"date")>0 or index(format,"DATE")>0 ) ; quit;

%put &mv;

* search through dictionary.columns may take much time if you have libraries assigned using ODBC-driver. Proc contants does't have that disadvantage ; proc contents data = test out = columns noprint; run;

* put columns names into macro mv2 ; proc sql noprint; select name into :mv2 separated by ' ' from work.columns where index(name,"date")>0 or index(format,"DATE")>0 ; quit;

%put &mv2;