As far as the documentation goes, there's an on-point example at the following URL, in the subsection Name Prefix Lists: http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/lrcon/62955/HTML/default/viewer.htm#a000695105.htm

The OF construct is discussed in more detail at: http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/lrdict/64316/HTML/default/viewer.htm#a002295632.htm

Mike Rhoads RhoadsM1@Westat.com

-----Original Message----- From: SAS(r) Discussion [mailto:SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Mary Rosenbloom Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 2:29 PM To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Subject: Re: sum(of card: ) this works but I can't find documentation for it

Thanks! I feel a bit better about this now.

Cheers, Mary R.

On Wed, Sep 21, 2011 at 11:23 AM, Joe Matise <snoopy369@gmail.com> wrote: > Macros aren't involved here; you're just describing one of SAS's > variable list tricks (really, two of them). > <function>(of variablelist) is how you incorporate a space delimited > variable list; so sum (x,y,z) = sum(of x y z) > var: is the wildcard shortcut for 'all variables starting with var', > and is converted to a space delimited list of all variable names matching it. > Not sure where in the doc it is listed, but I imagine it's in there > somewhere. > -Joe > On Wed, Sep 21, 2011 at 1:05 PM, Mary Rosenbloom > <mary.rosenbloom.sas@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> Hi all, >> >> I have several variables, all having the prefix "CARD", and all >> having values of 1 or missing. I want to create one more variable, >> "not answered" which will take the value of 1 if none of the other >> variables have a value. >> >> I decided to try this code, and it worked, but I can't find a >> reference for it anywhere: >> >> data try2; >> set try1; >> >> if sum(of card:) eq 0 then notanswered=1; run; >> >> Does anyone know of an example of this in the docs? I am a little >> hesitant to use this, since I can't turn on some analog of MPRINT to "see" >> what is going on behind the scenes. >> >> Thanks for your help. >> >> Cheers, >> Mary R. > >