| David J. Bosak |
Did you know there is a datastep() function for R? It is found in the "libr" package. This function replicates many of the basic features of the SAS DATA STEP. It processes data row by row, and allows you to execute an arbitrary code block on each row. Variables can be created on the fly, just like a SAS DATA STEP. You can also drop, keep, and rename variables, retain variables, and create variable arrays. It supports set, merge, and by operations. It also supports output() and delete() functions to control which rows are sent to the output dataset. The purpose of the paper is to examine the capabilities of this useful function. |