Renaming Variables (2)

Merging SAS Data Sets

Renaming Variables

To prevent overwriting, you can rename variables using the RENAME= data set option in the MERGE statement.

General form, RENAME= data set option:

(RENAME=(old-variable-name=new-variable-name))

where

the RENAME= option, in parentheses, follows the name of each data set that contains one or more variables to be renamed
old-variable-name names the variable to be renamed
new-variable-name specifies the new name for the variable.

You can rename any number of variables in each occurrence of the RENAME= option.

You can also use RENAME= to rename variables in the output data set specified in the DATA statement.

In the following example, the RENAME= option renames the variable Date in Clinic.Demog to BirthDate, and the variable Date in Clinic.Visit to VisitDate.

     data clinic.combined;       
        merge clinic.demog(rename=(date=BirthDate))
              clinic.visit(rename=(date=VisitDate)); 
        by id;
     run;
     proc print data=clinic.combined;
     run;

The following output shows the effect of the RENAME= option.

Obs ID Age Sex BirthDate Visit SysBP DiasBP Weight VisitDate

1 A001 21 m 05/22/75 1 140 85 195 11/05/98

2 A001 21 m 05/22/75 2 138 90 198 10/13/98

3 A001 21 m 05/22/75 3 145 95 200 07/04/98

4 A002 32 m 06/15/63 1 121 75 168 04/14/98

5 A003 24 f 08/17/72 1 118 68 125 08/12/98

6 A003 24 f 08/17/72 2 112 65 123 08/21/98

7 A004 . 03/27/69 1 143 86 204 03/30/98

8 A005 44 f 02/24/52 1 132 76 174 02/27/98

9 A005 44 f 02/24/52 2 132 78 175 07/11/98

10 A005 44 f 02/24/52 3 134 78 176 04/16/98

11 A007 39 m 11/11/57 . . . .

12 A008 . . 1 126 80 182 05/22/98

Obs	ID	Age	Sex	BirthDate	Visit	SysBP	DiasBP	Weight	VisitDate
1	A001	21	m	05/22/75	1	140	85	195	11/05/98
2	A001	21	m	05/22/75	2	138	90	198	10/13/98
3	A001	21	m	05/22/75	3	145	95	200	07/04/98
4	A002	32	m	06/15/63	1	121	75	168	04/14/98
5	A003	24	f	08/17/72	1	118	68	125	08/12/98
6	A003	24	f	08/17/72	2	112	65	123	08/21/98
7	A004	.		03/27/69	1	143	86	204	03/30/98
8	A005	44	f	02/24/52	1	132	76	174	02/27/98
9	A005	44	f	02/24/52	2	132	78	175	07/11/98
10	A005	44	f	02/24/52	3	134	78	176	04/16/98
11	A007	39	m	11/11/57		.	.	.	.
12	A008	.		.	1	126	80	182	05/22/98