Date:         Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:21:40 -0800
Reply-To:     RYan <donnelly.ryan.m@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         RYan <donnelly.ryan.m@GMAIL.COM>
Organization: http://groups.google.com
Subject:      Using and external file as a lookup table to update values in a
              SAS dataset
Comments: To: sas-l@uga.edu
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Hello L'ers,

I'm trying to update some location IDs and I want to avoid entering a
whole lot of if then, else statements.  I have an external fixed
length file that has exisiting values and their coorisponding updated
values.  I want to use this file as a look up table so when SAS loops
through the values it can refer to the outside file to see if the
value should be updated.  I was thinking about using the %include
statement but I'm unsure exactly how to work this into my program.
Mind you, the external file is just a bunch of character values with
no column headings or code.

I'm open to any approach that limits the amount of manual entry.
Ideally I'd like something that I can reuse year to year.

Thanks again for all the help this group has already provided.

Cheers,
Ryan