Creating a Sample Data File

If you want to create a simple sample data file (perhaps to test tabulations or edits instead of using the complete data file), you can create a small batch program to select cases to output. For instance, this program selects every twentieth case to generate a 5% sample:



PROC GLOBAL

numeric samplePercentage = 5;

numeric caseCount = 0;

PROC CREATESAMPLE_QUEST

preproc

inc(caseCount);

if caseCount = ( 100 / samplePercentage ) then

caseCount = 0;
else

skip case;
endif;

Alternatively, you can use the random function to generate a sample file that does not choose every nth case. Remember to call the seed function before using the random function.

if random(1,100 / samplePercentage) <> 1 then

skip case;

endif;