SAS dynamic variable names from other variables -

i trying create sas variable names based on data contained within other variables. example, start

obs  var1  var2   1   abc     x   2   def     x   3   ghi     y   4   jkl     x 

and end with

obs  var1  var2    x    y   1   abc     x   abc      2   def     x   def      3   ghi     y        ghi   4   jkl     x   jkl    

i have 1 way of doing requires ugly macros first create variables needed (using length statement) , creating whole series of numbered macro variables (1 per observation) later called inside data step loop. works complicated , don't think scale real data, contain multiple variables creation per row, , few thousand rows.

i've tried arrays - saving variables names in macro var, using generate array statement, , trying keep track of array index needed each new variable, complicated.

what analogous

vvaluex(var2)=var1 

except vvaluex can't on left-hand side of equals. thoughts or ideas?

proc transpose handy way example in question.

data have; input obs  var1 $  var2 $; datalines; 1   abc     x 2   def     x 3   ghi     y 4   jkl     x ;;;; run;  proc transpose data=have out=want; obs; id var2; var var1; copy var1 var2; run; 

another option similar you've tried before, using arrays , vname:

proc sql; select var2 :var2list separated ' ' have; quit;  data want; set have; array newvars $ &var2list; _t = 1 dim(newvars);   if vname(newvars[_t]) = var2 do;     newvars[_t] = var1;     leave;   end; end; run; 

proc transpose should faster , more flexible, might work better purposes.