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RENAME

Optional statement
Applies to:	access descriptor and view descriptor

Details

The RENAME statement enters or modifies the SAS variable name associated with a database item. If you are creating a view descriptor from an existing access descriptor that has an ASSIGN value of YES (or Y), you cannot use the RENAME= statement.

When creating an access descriptor and ASSIGN=YES, you can use the RENAME statement to assign new SAS names to the default SAS names and these new names will always be used when creating view descriptors based on the access descriptor.

When ASSIGN=NO, any names assigned in the access descriptor can be changed in the view descriptor with the RENAME statement, but the new name applies only in that view.

The variable-identifier argument can be one of the following:

• current SAS variable name for the item

  Note:   Any name on the lefthand side of the equal sign must be a SAS name, not a SYSTEM 2000 name. In an access descriptor, if the ASSIGN statement is omitted, you must use an item number or component number (C-number) on the lefthand side of the equal sign.  
  

• positional equivalent from the LIST statement, which is the number that represents the item's place in the descriptor

• SYSTEM 2000 C-number of the database item.

For example, if you want to modify the SAS variable names associated with the fourth and fifth items in a descriptor, issue the following statement:

rename 4=hire birthday=birth;

When creating a view descriptor, the RENAME statement automatically selects the renamed item for the view. That is, if you rename the SAS variable associated with a database item, you do not have to issue a SELECT statement for that item.

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Copyright 1999 by SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA. All rights reserved.