data a5;
input x y$ @@;
cards;
1 a 1 b 1 c 2 x 3 y
;
run;
data a6;
input x y$ @@;
cards;
1 aa 2 xx 4 yy
;
run;
data a56;
merge a5(in=ina) a6(in=inb);
by x;
in_a=ina;
in_b=inb;
run;
The IN=data set option is a flag to the variable of the BY group instead of any other variables.
Because the variable x(not y) is in the BY group,so although the values(b and c) of y in table5 do not exist in table6, the flags do not change.