Date:         Thu, 4 Mar 1999 12:08:38 -0700
Reply-To:     Jack Hamilton <JackHamilton@FIRSTHEALTH.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU>
From:         Jack Hamilton <JackHamilton@FIRSTHEALTH.COM>
Subject:      Re: pimpy question
Comments: To: lpogoda@AOL.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

LPogoda <lpogoda@AOL.COM> wrote: 
 
>In article <19990208154453.04739.00000192@ng-cg1.aol.com>, dnordlund@aol.com 
>(DNordlund) writes:
>
>>the explanation is that the syntax TOTAL+COST implicitly RETAINS the variable
>>TOTAL.  Therefore,
>>
>>TOTAL+COST;
>>
>>is equivalent to
>>
>>RETAIN TOTAL;
>>TOTAL=TOTAL+COST;
>
>Which is documented in the manual.  Check out the SUM statement.
 
A better equivalent is
 
   retain total .;
   total = sum(total, cost); 
 
The Language and Procedures manual does a better job of explaining it than does the Language Reference manual.  The L&P implies that it is internally implemented as 
 
   retain total .;
   if cost ne . then 
      total = sum(total, cost); 
 
which is turn is the equivalent of 
 
   retain total .;
   if cost ne . then 
      if total ne . then 
         total = total + cost; 
      else 
         total = cost; 
 
 
 
 
 
--
JackHamilton@FirstHealth.com
West Sacramento, California
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