topic Re: Converting a character variable into a numeric variable in SAS Data Management

Converting a character variable into a numeric variable

EinarRoed — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:45:14 GMT

I need to convert a character variable into a numeric variable, by means of an expression in an Extract transformation.

The character variable is called Cust_No, and has the format $8. It needs to become a numeric variable with the format 8.0.

How can I accomplish this? I'm going insane experimenting with PUT, PUTC, PUTN, INPUT, INPUTN, INPUTC, etc. Whenever I think I've done it, the SQL Join tells me that I have the wrong data type.

I thought it would be correct to use this: input(Cust_No, 8.) However, that just turns all the values blank.

Thanks.

Re: Converting a character variable into a numeric variable

AncaTilea — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:59:30 GMT

Hi,

Have you tried this:

data temp;

set your_data;

new_Cust_no = Cust_no * 1;

run;

Good luck!

Anca.

Re: Converting a character variable into a numeric variable

Jagadishkatam — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 15:02:53 GMT

Hi,

You are on the right path. input() will convert the character variable into numeric. it should work.

try this

x=input(Cust_No, 8.);

so are you trying that in sql, could you please send me the code you have used in sql.

Thanks,

Jagadish

Re: Converting a character variable into a numeric variable

EinarRoed — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 15:39:58 GMT

Thanks. For some reason, when I do either of those things, the variable becomes blank, as though it refuses to be numeric.

Out of curiosity, should I be able to do an inner join on character variables?

Re: Converting a character variable into a numeric variable

AncaTilea — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 15:44:25 GMT

Yes, you should be able to do inner join on character variables.

Would you, please, share the code?

And a small sample data?

How about

new_var = input(old_var,best.);

Thanks.

Re: Converting a character variable into a numeric variable

Tom — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 19:51:42 GMT

Sounds like your character variable is either blank or is longer than 8 characters and is right aligned so that the first 8 positions are blank.

Re: Converting a character variable into a numeric variable

EinarRoed — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 21:22:49 GMT

Resolved it using characters instead. Thanks for your advise though, I learned something.