The original approach is to eliminate the array elements from the output data set using the DROP statement or the DROP= data set option.

data Differences(drop=i);
   set sashelp.class;
   array BaseLine {3} (13.32 62.33 100.03);
   drop BaseLine1-BaseLine3 ;
   array Actuals {3} Age Height Weight;
   array Diffs {3} DiffAge DiffHgt DiffWgt;
   do i = 1 to 3 ;
      Diffs{i} = Actuals{i} - BaseLine{i};
   end;
run;
proc print data=Differences;
  title1 "Differences from BaseLine";
run;

SAS Log

20893  data Differences(drop=i);
20894     set sashelp.class;
20895     array BaseLine {3} (13.32 62.33 100.03);
20896     drop BaseLine1-BaseLine3 ;
20897     array Actuals {3} Age Height Weight;
20898     array Diffs {3} DiffAge DiffHgt DiffWgt;
20899     do i = 1 to 3 ;
20900        Diffs{i} = Actuals{i} - BaseLine{i};
20901     end;
20902  run;
 
NOTE: There were 19 observations read from the data set SASHELP.CLASS.
NOTE: The data set WORK.DIFFERENCES has 19 observations and 8 variables.
 
20903  proc print data=Differences;
20904    title1 "Differences from BaseLine";
20905  run;
 
NOTE: There were 19 observations read from the data set WORK.DIFFERENCES.
 

SAS Listing Output

Differences from BaseLine
 
                                                     Diff      Diff      Diff
Obs    Name       Sex    Age    Height    Weight     Age        Hgt       Wgt
 
  1    Alfred      M      14     69.0      112.5     0.68      6.67     12.47
  2    Alice       F      13     56.5       84.0    -0.32     -5.83    -16.03
  3    Barbara     F      13     65.3       98.0    -0.32      2.97     -2.03
  4    Carol       F      14     62.8      102.5     0.68      0.47      2.47
  5    Henry       M      14     63.5      102.5     0.68      1.17      2.47
  6    James       M      12     57.3       83.0    -1.32     -5.03    -17.03
  7    Jane        F      12     59.8       84.5    -1.32     -2.53    -15.53
  8    Janet       F      15     62.5      112.5     1.68      0.17     12.47
  9    Jeffrey     M      13     62.5       84.0    -0.32      0.17    -16.03
 10    John        M      12     59.0       99.5    -1.32     -3.33     -0.53
 11    Joyce       F      11     51.3       50.5    -2.32    -11.03    -49.53
 12    Judy        F      14     64.3       90.0     0.68      1.97    -10.03
 13    Louise      F      12     56.3       77.0    -1.32     -6.03    -23.03
 14    Mary        F      15     66.5      112.0     1.68      4.17     11.97
 15    Philip      M      16     72.0      150.0     2.68      9.67     49.97
 16    Robert      M      12     64.8      128.0    -1.32      2.47     27.97
 17    Ronald      M      15     67.0      133.0     1.68      4.67     32.97
 18    Thomas      M      11     57.5       85.0    -2.32     -4.83    -15.03
 19    William     M      15     66.5      112.0     1.68      4.17     11.97

An alternate approach is to specify the array to contain temporary elements.

data Differences(drop=i);
   set sashelp.class;
   array BaseLine {3} _temporary_ (13.32 62.33 100.03);
   array Actuals {3} Age Height Weight;
   array Diffs {3} DiffAge DiffHgt DiffWgt;
   do i = 1 to 3 ;
      Diffs{i} = Actuals{i} - BaseLine{i};
   end;
run;
proc print data=Differences;
  title1 "Differences from BaseLine";
run;

SAS Log

20917  data Differences(drop=i);
20918     set sashelp.class;
20919     array BaseLine {3} _temporary_ (13.32 62.33 100.03);
20920     array Actuals {3} Age Height Weight;
20921     array Diffs {3} DiffAge DiffHgt DiffWgt;
20922     do i = 1 to 3 ;
20923        Diffs{i} = Actuals{i} - BaseLine{i};
20924     end;
20925  run;
 
NOTE: There were 19 observations read from the data set SASHELP.CLASS.
NOTE: The data set WORK.DIFFERENCES has 19 observations and 8 variables.
 
20926  proc print data=Differences;
20927    title1 "Differences from BaseLine";
20928  run;
 
NOTE: There were 19 observations read from the data set WORK.DIFFERENCES.
 

SAS Listing Output

Same as for the old way

Advantages of the alternate approach:

• No additional statements or data set options are needed in order to prevent the array elements from appearing in the output data set.

Disadvantages of the alternate approach:

• The number of elements must be declared explicitly in the ARRAY statement. [Lower and upper bounds are permitted.]