topic Re: Convert character to numeric in SAS Programming

Convert character to numeric

AlexeyS — Tue, 15 May 2018 06:35:38 GMT

Hello, I want to convert character to numeric.

My data looks like this :

104

104.25

104.35

103

I tried to use input

Price_new = input(Price, best12.2);

But the result I get as follows:

104 1.04

104.25 104.25

104.35 104.3

103 1.03

As you can see the problem is when the number is without decimal point. Please help me.

Thank you

Re: Convert character to numeric

PeterClemmensen — Tue, 15 May 2018 07:13:55 GMT

data have;
input Price $;
datalines;
104
104.25
104.35
103
;

data want;
    set have;
    NumPrice=input(Price, 8.);
run;

Re: Convert character to numeric

Kurt_Bremser — Tue, 15 May 2018 12:28:35 GMT

When you specify decimals in an informat (as in your input function), you force SAS to convert as many digits to decimals when no decimal point is found in the string. You only specify decimals in an informat when you need to do that conversion yourself (eg when you receive decimal fixed data from mainframes).

Edited because decimal point in instring overrides format definition.

Re: Convert character to numeric

Tom — Tue, 15 May 2018 12:22:52 GMT

SAS is just doing what you asked it to do. The decimal part of an INFORMAT tells SAS where to place the decimal point when the text string doesn't have one. It is for reading data that has been written without the decimal point on purpose to save space in the text file.

Just use an informat of 32.. Or even better use COMMA32. as it will handle strings that include commas and dollar signs.

Re: Convert character to numeric

srinath3111 — Tue, 15 May 2018 13:02:58 GMT

Hi,

Try

data ds;
infile datalines;
input proce_new$;
new_price=input(proce_new,12.);
datalines;
104
104.25
104.35
103
;
run;

Thanks,

Srinath