Creating a macro to create dummy variables for categorical variables in my data set sas

Question

I have written the following SAS code to create dummy variables for all my categorical variables. However the code does not see to give me a desired result.

/# creating a copy of the data set in the work library#/

  libname eco "Z:\Globe\Call Data Modeling";
   data model_data;
   set eco.em_save_train;
   run;

/#getting the names and types of variables in the data set

proc contents data= model_data out= var_names(keep=name type)noprint;
   run;

/#creating a macro to create the dummy variable coding#/

 %macro cat(indata, variable);
  proc sql noprint;
    select distinct &variable. into :mvals separated by '|'
    from &indata.;

    %let mdim=&sqlobs;
  quit;

  data &indata.;
    set &indata.;
    %do _i=1 %to &mdim.;
      %let _v = %scan(&mvals., &_i., |);
      if &variable. = &_v. then &variable.&_v. = 1; else &variable.&_v = 0;
    %end;
  run;
%mend;

/#calling the macro and passing the dataset name and variable name, based on the type . if type=2 then it is categorical variable#/

data _null_;
set var_names;
if type=2 then call execute('%cat(model_data,'||name||')');
run;

SAS has CLASS statement in most procedures where dummies are needed, and when you do need to create dummies SAS has procesures for that too. PROC GLMMOD and PROC TRANSREG are good starting places. — data _null_
What is the not-desired result? More importantly, what is the desired result? — Stu Sztukowski

data _null_ data _null_ · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-29T19:56:25

I would not recommend using a macro and data steps for this. SAS has great solutions that do all the heavy lifting. Easy and well documented.

data nominal;
    infile datalines dsd;
    input hair$ eye$;
datalines;
brown,brown
brown,blue
red,blue
red,brown
;;;;

proc transreg design;
   model class(hair eye / zero=none);
   output out=dummies(drop=_: intercept);
   run;
%put NOTE: Dummies: &=_TRGINDN &=_TRGIND;
proc print;
   run;

Creating a macro to create dummy variables for categorical variables in my data set sas

2 Answers