Compares two tables, record by record, based on a list of ID variables.

160622_MCompareDataSets.sas

/*-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Description : Macro that compares two tables, record by record, based on a   |
|               list of ID variables.                                          |
| Assumptions : Each table has at least one ID variable, and ID variables must |
|               have the same name between tables.                             |
|               N.B.: This macro is based on the suggestion made in the        |
|                     excellent book "Carpenter's Guide to Innovative SAS      |
|                     Techniques" by Art Carpenter, pages 198 through 200.     |
| Parameters  : BaseTable        - Is the reference table.                     |
|               ReferenceTable   - Corresponds to the table that is expected   |
|                                  to be the same as the reference table.      |
|               DifferencesTable - The name of the output table that will      |
|                                  contain the differences found between both  |
|                                  tables.                                     |
|               IDVariables      - A list of variables that allows to map each |
|                                  record between tables.                      |
| Output      : A table with the differences found between records and based   |
|               on the ID variables.                                           |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
/*  Examples:
* We create the sample datasets. ;
DATA BASE_TABLE;
  INFILE DATALINES
         DSD DLM = ','
         MISSOVER;
  LENGTH ID
         X $2;
  INPUT ID $
        X  $
        Y;
DATALINES;
01,AA,100
02,BB,200
03,CC,20.5
04,DD,800
;
RUN;
DATA REFERENCE_TABLE;
  INFILE DATALINES
         DSD DLM = ','
         MISSOVER;
  LENGTH ID
         X $2;
  INPUT ID $
        X  $
        Y;
DATALINES;
01,AA,100
02,B,200
03,CC,8.5
04,DD,800
;
RUN;
* Ex_01;
%MCompareDataSets(BaseTable        = BASE_TABLE,
                  ReferenceTable   = REFERENCE_TABLE,
                  DifferencesTable = DIFFERENCES_TABLE,
                  IDVariables      = ID)
* Output: Creates a table 'DIFFERENCES_TABLE' with the records and variables
          that were found to be different (i.e., records 02 and 03 and variables
                                           X and Y, respectively). ;
*/
/*-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Date                Author                          Description              |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| June 22, 2017       Cesar R. Urteaga-Reyesvera      Creation.                |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
%MACRO MCompareDataSets(BaseTable        = /* Reference table.               */,
                        ReferenceTable   = /* New table which is expected to be
                                              the same as the base table.    */,
                        DifferencesTable = /* Table with the differences
                                              between the above tables.      */,
                        IDVariables      = /* A list of variables to identify
                                              de records that must be compared.
                                                                              */
                        );
  * Since we use the ID variables, we need to sort them in order to compare
    them. ;
  PROC SORT DATA = &BaseTable.;      BY &IDVariables.; RUN;
  PROC SORT DATA = &ReferenceTable.; BY &IDVariables.; RUN;
  PROC COMPARE BASE    = &BaseTable.
               COMPARE = &ReferenceTable.
               OUT     = TEMPORAL_01
               OUTBASE OUTCOMP
               NOVALUES LISTVAR
               OUTNOEQUAL;  /* We only care about the values which are different
                               between both tables. */
    ID &IDVariables;
  RUN;
  * We change the table from wide format to long format. ;
  PROC SORT DATA = TEMPORAL_01;
    BY &IDVariables.
       _OBS_;
  RUN;
  PROC TRANSPOSE DATA = TEMPORAL_01
                 OUT  = TEMPORAL_02(DROP   = _LABEL_
                                    RENAME = (_NAME_ = VARIABLE));
    BY &IDVariables.
       _OBS_;
    * Allows to list all variables so as to compare them. ;
    VAR _NUMERIC_
        _CHARACTER_;
    * This statement is used to name the two new columns. ;
    ID  _TYPE_;
  RUN;
  * Finally, we get the output table with the differences and delete the
    temporal tables. ;
  DATA &DifferencesTable.;
    SET TEMPORAL_02(WHERE = (VARIABLE ~= "_TYPE_" &
                             BASE     ~= COMPARE)); /* We only want the
                                                       variables that are
                                                       different. */
  RUN;
  PROC SQL; DROP TABLE TEMPORAL_01, TEMPORAL_02; QUIT;
%MEND MCompareDataSets;

This snippet runs with errors if the two tables are equal; therefore, I will add to my to-do list the consideration of this event.

Any update for this script, in case the 2 tables are equal?