SAS Language Reference: Dictionary

Syntax

Syntax of Functions

The syntax of a function is

function-name (argument-1<. . .,argument-n>)

function-name (OF variable-list)

function-name (OF array-name{*})
where

function-name

names the function.

argument

can be a variable name, constant, or any SAS expression, including another function. The number and kind of arguments allowed are described with individual functions. Multiple arguments are separated by a comma.

Tip:

If the value of an argument is invalid (for example, missing or outside the prescribed range), SAS prints a note to the log indicating that the argument is invalid, sets _ERROR_ to 1, and sets the result to a missing value.

Examples:

```
x=max(cash,credit);
```
```
x=sqrt(1500);
```
```
NewCity=left(upcase(City));
```

x=min(YearTemperature-July,YearTemperature-Dec);

```
s=repeat('----+',16);
```
```
x=min((enroll-drop),(enroll-fail));
```
```
dollars=int(cash);
```

if sum(cash,credit)>1000 then
   put 'Goal reached';

(OF variable-list)

can be any form of a SAS variable list, including individual variable names. If more than one variable list appears, separate them with a space.

Examples:

```
a=sum(of x  y  z);
```

The following two examples are equivalent.

a=sum(of x1-x10 y1-y10 z1-z10);
a=sum(of x1-x10, of y1-y10, of z1-z10);

```
z=sum(of y1-y10);
```

(OF array-name{*})

names a currently defined array. Specifying an array in this way causes SAS to treat the array as a list of the variables instead of processing only one element of the array at a time.

Examples:

```
array y{10} y1-y10;
x=sum(of y{*});
```

Syntax of CALL Routines

The syntax of a CALL routine is

CALL routine-name (argument-1<. . .,argument-n>);

where

routine-name

names a SAS CALL routine.

argument

can be a variable name, a constant, any SAS expression, an external module name, an array reference, or a function. Multiple arguments are separated by a comma. The number and kind of arguments allowed are described with individual CALL routines in the dictionary section.

Examples:

```
call rxsubstr(rx,string,position);
```
```
call set(dsid);
```
```
call ranbin(Seed_1,n,p,X1);
```
```
call label(abc{j},lab);
```

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