RENAME

RENAME

Modifies the SAS column name.

Optional statement

Applies to: access descriptor or view descriptor

Syntax
Details

Syntax

RENAME <">column-identifier-1<"> <=> SAS-name
<...<">column-identifier-n<"> <=> SAS-name>;

Details

The RENAME statement enters or modifies the SAS column name that is associated with a DBMS column. The RENAME statement can be used when creating an access descriptor or a view descriptor. However, the value of the ASSIGN statement affects when the RENAME statement can be used.

When you create an access descriptor, the default setting for a SAS column name is a blank. When ASSIGN=YES, default SAS column names are generated and these SAS column names are used by all of the view descriptors derived from this access descriptor. You can use the RENAME statement to edit the SAS column names assigned in the access descriptor and these renamed SAS column will be used by its view descriptors, unless a RESET statement or another RENAME statement is used in the access descriptor.

If you omit the ASSIGN statement or specify it with a NO value, you can use the RENAME statement to assign a SAS column name. In this case, the SAS column names that you enter in the access descriptor will be retained by any view descriptors derived from this access descriptor; however, you can edit them in the view descriptor with the RENAME statement. Column names renamed in the view descriptor apply only to that view descriptor.

The column-identifier argument can be either the CA-DATACOM/DB field name or the positional equivalent from the LIST statement, which is the number that represents the column's place in the descriptor. For example, to rename the SAS column names that are associated with the seventh DBMS column and the nine-character FIRSTNAME DBMS column in a descriptor, submit the following statement:

rename 7 birthdy  firstname=fname;

The DBMS column name (or positional equivalent) is specified on the left side of the expression, with the SAS column name on the right side. The equal sign (=) is optional. If the CA-DATACOM/DB field name contains special characters or national characters, enclose the name in quotes. You can rename as many columns as you want in one RENAME statement.

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

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	Optional statement
Applies to:	access descriptor or view descriptor