Question

In SAS/IML I have defined a character variable:

var1 = "usernames";

Previously in the code I defined usernames as a matrix:

usernames = {bill george fred, matthew john mark, katie, jack, lucy};

How can I manipulate this so that when I type

print var1;

I get the usernames matrix as output?

Answer 1

I think the OP wants to reference the contents of what the var1 variable “points to.” Use the VALUE function:

   usernames = {bill george fred, matthew john mark, katie jack lucy};
   var1 = "usernames";
   print (value(var1));

The VALUE function and the VALSET call can be used for this kind of indirect assignment and retrieval in SAS/IML.