https://communities.sas.com/t5/New-SAS-User/About-the-length-of-column/m-p/667958#M23066 <P>When the data step compiler compiles the code, it sets variable attributes from the first encounter of a variable where the attribute can be deduced.</P> <P>In your case this is the statement where the 6-character string "luxury" is assigned; subsequent changes in the length are ignored.</P> <P>Make it a habit to put attribute-setting statements (ATTRIB, LENGTH, FORMAT, but also SET, MERGE, UPDATE) into the top of your data step code.</P> Thu, 09 Jul 2020 05:14:42 GMT Kurt_Bremser 2020-07-09T05:14:42Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/New-SAS-User/About-the-length-of-column/m-p/667945#M23064 <P>I took quiz from SAS programming 1, I think the length is 8. But the answer is 6. Could anyone help me about it?</P><P><span class="lia-inline-image-display-wrapper lia-image-align-inline" image-alt="Jianan_luna_0-1594266594877.png" style="width: 400px;"><img src="https://communities.sas.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/47030i993E33380DF22D25/image-size/medium?v=v2&amp;px=400" role="button" title="Jianan_luna_0-1594266594877.png" alt="Jianan_luna_0-1594266594877.png" /></span></P><P>&nbsp;</P> Thu, 09 Jul 2020 03:50:02 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/New-SAS-User/About-the-length-of-column/m-p/667945#M23064 Jianan_luna 2020-07-09T03:50:02Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/New-SAS-User/About-the-length-of-column/m-p/667950#M23065 The assignment to 'luxury' in the 3rd line sets the length at 6. Put the length statement prior to the assignment to get the correct length. Thu, 09 Jul 2020 04:10:07 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/New-SAS-User/About-the-length-of-column/m-p/667950#M23065 ketpt42 2020-07-09T04:10:07Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/New-SAS-User/About-the-length-of-column/m-p/667958#M23066 <P>When the data step compiler compiles the code, it sets variable attributes from the first encounter of a variable where the attribute can be deduced.</P> <P>In your case this is the statement where the 6-character string "luxury" is assigned; subsequent changes in the length are ignored.</P> <P>Make it a habit to put attribute-setting statements (ATTRIB, LENGTH, FORMAT, but also SET, MERGE, UPDATE) into the top of your data step code.</P> Thu, 09 Jul 2020 05:14:42 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/New-SAS-User/About-the-length-of-column/m-p/667958#M23066 Kurt_Bremser 2020-07-09T05:14:42Z