Defining Variable Usage (2)

Creating Enhanced List and Summary Reports

Defining Variable Usage

Using Order Variables

An order variable orders the detail rows in a report according to their formatted values. For example, suppose you want to see values in your list report ordered by flight number. To use Flight as an order variable, you specify the ORDER usage option in the DEFINE statement, as shown below.

     proc report data=flights.europe nowd headline headskip;
        where dest in ('LON','PAR');
        column flight orig dest mail freight revenue;
        define revenue / format=dollar15.2;
        define flight / order 'Flight/Number' width=6 center;
        define orig / width=6 spacing=5 'Flight/Origin' center;
        define dest / width=11 spacing=5 'Flight/Destination' 
                      center;
     run;

This is your ordered output. Notice that PROC REPORT displays only the first occurrence of each value of an order variable in a set of rows that have the same value for all order variables.

Flight Number	Flight Origin	Flight Destination	Mail	Freight	Revenue
219	LGA	LON	331	376	$189,065.00
	LGA	LON	485	267	$197,456.00
	LGA	LON	388	298	$162,343.00
	LGA	LON	421	356	$134,520.00
	LGA	LON	447	299	$106,753.00
	LGA	LON	356	547	$122,766.00
	LGA	LON	272	370	$198,744.00
271	LGA	PAR	492	308	$156,804.00
	LGA	PAR	366	498	$190,098.00
	LGA	PAR	353	205	$166,470.00
	LGA	PAR	366	279	$163,248.00
	LGA	PAR	357	282	$170,766.00
	LGA	PAR	415	463	$195,468.00
	LGA	PAR	352	351	$123,456.00
	LGA	PAR	492	308	$125,632.00
	LGA	PAR	366	498	$128,972.00
	LGA	PAR	353	205	$153,423.00
	LGA	PAR	366	279	$133,345.00
	LGA	PAR	357	282	$126,543.00
	LGA	PAR	415	463	$134,976.00
821	LGA	LON	403	209	$150,634.00
	LGA	LON	345	243	$150,634.00
	LGA	LON	248	307	$193,930.00
	LGA	LON	391	395	$167,772.00
	LGA	LON	219	368	$183,106.00
	LGA	LON	389	479	$169,576.00
	LGA	LON	448	282	$143,561.00
	LGA	LON	403	209	$170,766.00
	LGA	LON	345	243	$129,560.00
	LGA	LON	248	307	$196,736.00
	LGA	LON	391	395	$125,344.00
	LGA	LON	219	368	$166,543.00
	LGA	LON	389	479	$129,745.00

By default, the order is ascending, but you can change it with the DESCENDING option in the DEFINE statement:

     proc report data=flights.europe nowd headline headskip;
        where dest in ('LON','PAR');
        column flight orig dest mail freight revenue;
        define revenue / format=dollar15.2;
        define flight / order descending 'Flight/Number' width=6
                        center;
        define orig / width=6 spacing=5 'Flight/Origin' center;
        define dest / width=11 spacing=5 'Flight/Destination'
                      center;
     run;