How to read variable names in a SAS data set?

Question

Are there any statements\functions capable of get the name of variables? Preferrably putting them into a column of another data set, a text field or a macro variable.

E.g.

- Data set 1

Name age sex

    Jk   14   F
    FH   34   M

• Expected data set

  Var_name_of_dataset1

  Name
  age
  sex
  

PS: I know a statement: select into, which does sth relevantly It can read the value of a column into a field with customized separetors, and therefore wish there are similar ways of reading column names into a field or a column.

Thanks

Answer 1

PROC CONTENTS would be the quickest way to get that information in a dataset. Column names can be found in the column NAME.

proc contents data=sashelp.class out=contents noprint;
run;

Answer 2

You can also use a datastep and array functions, e.g.

data colnames ;
  set sashelp.class (obs=1) ;

  array n{*} _NUMERIC_ ;
  array c{*} _CHARACTER_ ;

  do i = 1 to dim(n) ;
    vname = vname(n{i}) ;
    output ;
  end ;
  do i = 1 to dim(c) ;
    vname = vname(c{i}) ;
    output ;
  end ;
run ;