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INDEX=

Valid in:	DATA step and PROC step
Category:	Data set control
Restriction:	Use with output data sets only.

Syntax Description

index-specification

names and describes a simple or a composite index to be built. Index-specification has this form:

index <= (variable(s)) > </UNIQUE> </NOMISS>

index	is the name of a variable that forms the index or the name you choose for a composite index.
variable(s)	is a list of variables to use in making a composite index.
UNIQUE	specifies that the values of the key variables must be unique. If you specify UNIQUE for a new data set and multiple observations have the same values for the index variables, the index is not created. A slash (/) must precede the UNIQUE option.
NOMISS	excludes all observations with missing values from the index. Observations with missing values are still read from the data set but not through the index. A slash (/) must precede the NOMISS option.

Examples

Example 1: Defining a Simple Index

The following INDEX= data set option defines a simple index for the SSN variable:

data new(index=(ssn));  

Example 2: Defining a Composite Index

The following INDEX= data set option defines a composite index named CITYST that uses the CITY and STATE variables:

data new(index=(cityst=(city state)));  

Example 3: Defining a Simple and a Composite Index

The following INDEX= data set option defines a simple index for SSN and a composite index for CITY and STATE:

data new(index=(ssn cityst=(city state))); 

	INDEX CREATE statement in "The DATASETS Procedure" in the SAS Procedures Guide
	CREATE INDEX statement in "The SQL Procedure" in the SAS Procedures Guide
	"SAS Indexes" in the "SAS Data Files" chapter of SAS Language Reference: Concepts

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