How can I call a variable whose name is found as a string under another variable in SAS?

Question

I have one variable that lists the variable name where the information I need is stored. This variable stores all the variable names as strings. I am trying to create another variable that just includes whatever is in the row of the variable whose name is stored under the first variable. For example,

var_names     var_a     var_b     new_variable    
  var_a         7         11          7
  var_a         2         9           2
  var_b         3         6           6
  var_a         6         9           6

Above var_names has the variable names and I am trying to create new_variable. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

So far I have been working on finding a macro solution but I have been unable to get the new variable to actually equal the field rather than just the name of the variable it should be calling.

I believe the reason for this issue is that I do not know how to make a macro that is defined by another variable. i.e. %let mac = var_names and then new_variable = &varnames

Answer 1

You can use the VVALUEX function, like so:

DATA Work.Vars;

    INPUT   VarToUse    $
            VarA
            VarB
            VarC
            ;

DATALINES;
VarA 1 2 3
VarB 1 2 3
VarC 1 2 3
;;;;
RUN;

DATA Work.SelectedVars;
    SET Work.Vars;

    Var = VVALUEX( VarToUse );

    KEEP    Var;

RUN;

Returns:

Var
1
2
3