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RENAME=

Valid in:	DATA step and PROC steps
Category:	Variable Control

Syntax Description

old-name

the variable you want to rename.

new-name

the new name of the variable. It must be a valid SAS name.

Details

If you use the RENAME= data set option when you create a data set, the new variable name is included in the output data set. If you use RENAME= on an input data set, the new name is used in DATA step programming statements.

If you use RENAME= on an input data set that is used in a SAS procedure, SAS changes the name of the variable in that procedure. The list of variables to rename must be enclosed in parentheses:

proc print data=test(rename=(score1=score2));

If you use RENAME= in the same DATA step with either the DROP= or the KEEP= data set option, the DROP= and the KEEP= data set options are applied before RENAME=. Thus, use old-name in the DROP= and KEEP= data set options. You cannot drop and rename the same variable in the same statement.

Comparisons

• The RENAME= data set option differs from the RENAME statement in the following ways:
  • The RENAME= data set option can be used in PROC steps and the RENAME statement cannot.

  • The RENAME statement applies to all output data sets. If you want to rename different variables in different data sets, you must use the RENAME= data set option.

  • To rename variables before processing begins, you must use a RENAME= data set option on the input data set or data sets.

• Use the RENAME statement or the RENAME= data set option when program logic requires that you rename variables, for example, if two input data sets have variables with the same name. To rename variables as a file management task, use the DATASETS procedure.

Examples

Example 1: Renaming a Variable at Time of Output

This example uses RENAME= in the DATA statement to show that the variable is renamed at the time it is written to the output data set. The variable keeps its original name, X, during the DATA step processing:

data two(rename=(x=keys));
   set one;
   z=x+y; 
run;

Example 2: Renaming a Variable at Time of Input

This example renames variable X to a variable named KEYS in the SET statement, which is a rename before DATA step processing. KEYS, not X, is the name to use for the variable for DATA step processing.

data three;
   set one(rename=(x=keys));
   z=keys+y;
run;

	Data Set Options: DROP= KEEP=
	Statements: RENAME
	"The DATASETS Procedure" in the SAS Procedures Guide

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