suresh What are the differences between the MERGE and SET statements in SAS?
In SAS, the MERGE statement is used to combine two or more datasets based on a common variable. The focus keyword here is MERGE, which plays a crucial role in merging datasets in SAS. When using the MERGE statement, SAS matches observations based on the common variable and creates a new dataset with variables from both input datasets.
On the other hand, the SET statement in SAS is used to stack datasets on top of each other, one after the other. The SET statement does not merge observations based on a common variable but simply appends the datasets one below the other.
Therefore, the main difference between the MERGE and SET statements in SAS is that MERGE combines datasets based on a common variable, while SET simply stacks datasets vertically without any merging.
In summary, the focus keyword MERGE indicates a data merging operation in SAS, while SET focuses on stacking datasets. Understanding the distinctions between these two statements is essential for effectively managing and combining datasets in SAS.
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