GO TO Statement
Directs program execution immediately to the statement
label that is specified and, if followed by a RETURN statement, returns
execution to the beginning of the DATA step.
| Valid in: |
DATA step |
| Category: |
Control |
| Type: |
Executable |
| Alias: |
GOTO |
Syntax
Arguments
- label
-
specifies a statement
label that identifies the GO TO destination. The destination must
be within the same DATA step. You must specify the label argument.
Comparisons
The GO TO statement and
the LINK statement are similar. However, a GO TO statement is often
used without a RETURN statement, whereas a LINK statement is usually
used with an explicit RETURN statement. The action of a subsequent
RETURN statement differs between the GO TO and LINK statements. A
RETURN statement after a LINK statement returns execution to the statement
that follows the LINK statement. A RETURN after a GO TO statement
returns execution to the beginning of the DATA step (unless a LINK
statement precedes the GO TO statement. In that case, execution continues
with the first statement after the LINK statement).
GO TO statements can
often be replaced by DO-END and IF-THEN/ELSE programming logic.
Example: Using a RETURN Statement with the GO TO Statement
Use the GO TO statement
as shown here.
-
In this example, if the condition
is true, the GO TO statement instructs SAS to jump to a label called
ADD and to continue execution from there. If the condition is false,
SAS executes the PUT statement and the statement that is associated
with the GO TO label:
data info;
input x;
if 1<=x<=5 then go to add;
put x=;
add: sumx+x;
datalines;
7
6
323
;
Because every DATA
step contains an implied RETURN at the end of the step, program execution
returns to the top of the step after the sum statement is executed.
Therefore, an explicit RETURN statement at the bottom of the DATA
step is not necessary.
-
If you do not want the Sum statement
to execute for observations that do not meet the condition, rewrite
the code and include an explicit return statement.
data info;
input x;
if 1<=x<=5 then go to add;
put x=;
return;
/* SUM statement not executed */
/* if x<1 or x>5 */
add: sumx+x;
datalines;
7
6
323
;