GETCOLUMN Function

Extracts the column into an array.

Category:	Result Tables
Returned data type:	Array

Table of Contents

Syntax

GETCOLUMN(table-name, column-name | column-number);

Required Arguments

table-name

specifies the name of the table to extract the column from.

column-name

specifies the name of the column to extract into an array.

column-number

specifies the number of the column to extract into an array.

Details

The GETCOLUMN function extracts all of the rows from a column into an array. The column can be specified by column name or column number.

Note: If you specify an invalid column name or invalid column number, the GETCOLUMN function returns an empty array.

Note: When you use the GETCOLUMN function on a STRING column, trailing blanks are added to make all values of the array the same length. When you use the GETCOLUMN function on a VARCHAR column, the values of the array are null-terminated and no trailing blanks are added.

Example: Extract a Column from a Table

This example illustrates how to extract a column from a table into an array.

proc casutil;
   load data=sashelp.cars;
quit;

proc cas;
   table.fetch result=r / table="cars" to=428;
   findcar=findtable(r);

describe findcar;

   colarray=getcolumn(findcar, "Make");
   print colarray;
run;
quit;

proc casutil;
   load data=sashelp.cars;
quit;

proc cas;
   table.fetch result=r / table="cars" to=428;
   findcar=findtable(r);

describe findcar;

   colarray=getcolumn(findcar, "Make");
   print colarray;
run;
quit;

(DESCRIBE Statement

[Fetch] Table ( [50] Rows [16] columns
Column Names:
[1] _Index_          [                ] (int64)
[2] Make             [                ] (char)
[3] Model            [                ] (char)
[4] Type             [                ] (char)
[5] Origin           [                ] (char)
[6] DriveTrain       [                ] (char)
[7] MSRP             [                ] (double) [DOLLAR8.] 
[8] Invoice          [                ] (double) [DOLLAR8.] 
[9] EngineSize       [Engine Size (L) ] (double)
[10] Cylinders        [                ] (double)
[11] Horsepower       [                ] (double)
[12] MPG_City         [MPG (City)      ] (double)
[13] MPG_Highway      [MPG (Highway)   ] (double)
[14] Weight           [Weight (LBS)    ] (double)
[15] Wheelbase        [Wheelbase (IN)  ] (double)
[16] Length           [Length (IN)     ] (double)

(PRINT Statement)

{Acura    ,Acura    ,Acura    ,Audi     ,Audi     ,Audi     ,Audi     ,Audi     ,Audi     ,BMW      ,BMW      ,BMW      ,BMW      ,
BMW      ,BMW      ,BMW      ,Buick    ,Buick    ,Buick    ,Cadillac ,Cadillac ,Chevrolet,Chevrolet,Chevrolet,Chevrolet,Chevrolet,
Chevrolet,Chevrolet,Chevrolet,Chevrolet,Chrysler ,Chrysler ,Chrysler ,Chrysler ,Chrysler ,Dodge    ,Dodge    ,Dodge    ,Dodge    ,
Dodge    ,Ford     ,Ford     ,Ford     ,Ford     ,Ford     ,Ford     ,Ford     ,GMC      ,GMC      ,GMC      }

Last updated: August 18, 2026