topic Re: How to format the variables/columns in this existing SAS dataset in WORK library in New SAS User

How to format the variables/columns in this existing SAS dataset in WORK library

d6k5d3 — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 03:35:24 GMT

Please have a look at the Dataset which is in Work library. I am working on this Dataset, I need to convert all these values in 12.5 numeric format. These variables are already in numeric format. What code to include after Data yyy; set zzz; ... to make the change? Much thanks.

Re: How to format the variables/columns in this existing SAS dataset in WORK library

VDD — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 03:41:27 GMT

please post the data is a SAS datastep. It is hard to read a picture.

Re: How to format the variables/columns in this existing SAS dataset in WORK library

d6k5d3 — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 03:56:20 GMT

If you just click the picture, you would get the enlarged version.

Re: How to format the variables/columns in this existing SAS dataset in WORK library

d6k5d3 — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 03:58:49 GMT

By the way, I just imported the data. And after importing, it looks like this. I want to make the changes in a data step.

Re: How to format the variables/columns in this existing SAS dataset in WORK library

andreas_lds — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 05:07:42 GMT

Must repeat, what @VDD already requested: post the data as datastep using datalines-statement, so that we know what type the variables are. There is a huge difference between applying a format and converting data. And to suggest something for the later, we need something to work with. Another option for you: use the search-facility in the community. Converting text to numbers has been explained so many times, that you will, most likely, find adaptable code.

Re: How to format the variables/columns in this existing SAS dataset in WORK library

ballardw — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 16:14:47 GMT

@d6k5d3 wrote:
By the way, I just imported the data. And after importing, it looks like this. I want to make the changes in a data step.

If you have an existing SAS data set you can change properties of variables in place with Proc DATASETS. You can rename variables, change formats, informats and labels.

a brief example creating a copy of a data set you should have:

Data work.class;
   set sashelp.class;
run;
proc datasets lib=work;
   modify class;
      format height f8.4
             weight f12.2
      ;
quit;

the LIB on the proc statement is the library the dataset(s) you want to modify are in.

The Modify statement indicates which dataset you are going to modify.

The format statement assigns the format to the variable. If you want to have the same format for multiple variables then

proc datasets lib=work;
   modify class;
      format height 
             weight best8.
      ;
quit;

Informat or Label statements work the same. You can have another block of modify statements for another data set.

The QUIT is used to end the procedure because Datasets is one of the procedures that allows multiple Run groups.

Re: How to format the variables/columns in this existing SAS dataset in WORK library

d6k5d3 — Sun, 28 Oct 2018 02:15:22 GMT

@ballardw, thank you very much for the reply. I believe your code would work great. But a little change in the plan. I would import the data from a csv file, and all the figures you see would be in CHAR format.

So when I would go to modify the dataset, and format the variables to numeric, SAS would give me an error for trying to convert from CHAR to numeric.

What code would you suggest in the format line for conversion from CHAR to numeric?

I appreciate your time.