Selecting the rightmost variable of several columns

[rmjdgeh]

Dear list,

Does anyone know how I can select value from the "rightmost" of a set of columns?

For example, each column might represent the same variable measured in different years. I want to select the most recent information, because the value might be missing for the current year.

Many thanks,
Gareth

[Bruce Weaver]

rmjdgeh wrote

Dear list,

Does anyone know how I can select value from the "rightmost" of a set of columns?

For example, each column might represent the same variable measured in different years. I want to select the most recent information, because the value might be missing for the current year.

Many thanks,
Gareth

If I follow, you want to do something like this.

* Read in some sample data.
data list / v1 to v3 1-3 .
begin data.

1
 2
  3
12
 23
123
end data.

* Pick out right-most valid value.

numeric rigthmost (f2.0).
do repeat v = v1 to v3.
- if not missing(v) rightmost = v.
end repeat.
list.

HTH.