Bowling for averages

I was recently asked to find the value and name of the column that is closest to the average for a series of columns on a row. Random data was created to emulate the first attempt or roll in the ten frames in bowling.

The below code uses the automatic variable _N_ as a do-loop incrementor and for storing data in array elements. Automatic variables are added to the program data vector (PDV) but not output to a data set. Notice the use of the OF array to calculate the average and the first lowest ordinal value of the difference array (adiff). This was the first time I had occasion to use the vname() function used to identify the name of the column holding the value closest to the average.

data bowling ;
  length name $8 ; *-- make name first column in PDV ;
  array frame[ 10 ] ;
  array adiff[ 10 ] _temporary_ ;

  do name = 'Billy', 'Joe', 'Bob', 'Bubba', 'Junior' ;
    do _n_ = 1 to 10 ;
      *-- create random scores from 0 to 10 ;
      frame[ _n_ ] = floor( ranuni( 1234 ) * 11  ) ;
    end ;    

    average = mean( of frame[ * ] ) ;
    do _n_ = 1 to dim( frame ) ;
      *-- calc absolute difference between scores and average ;
      adiff[ _n_ ] = abs( average - frame[ _n_ ] ) ;
    end ;

    do _n_ = 1 to dim( adiff ) ;
      *-- find the score closest to the average ;
      *-- ordinal() returns smallest difference value from array list ;
      if adiff[ _n_ ] = ordinal( 1, of adiff[ * ] ) then do ;
        frame_value = frame[ _n_ ] ;
        frame_name = vname( frame[ _n_ ] ) ; *-- get column name ;
        leave ; *-- found it so exit the loop ;
      end ;
    end ;   

    output ; 
  end ;
run ;

Remeber this dude/dudettes, SAS abides...