Formatting observations to become Character Variable

Saba1 — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 09:07:58 GMT

I need guidance to format observations of a dataset as Character variable. Actually, I have a dataset and the observations are a combination of date and character variable in various columns. See below:

Data Have;
infile datalines
dlm=","
missover
DSD;
input ID : $10.
	Date_Month : mmddyy10.
	Manager1 : $60.
	Manager2 : $60.
	Manager3 : $60. ;
format Date_Month mmddyy10. ;
datalines;
AB00046,01-31-2016,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,02-28-2016,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,03-31-2016,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,04-30-2016,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,05-31-2016,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,06-30-2016,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,07-31-2016,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,08-31-2016,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,09-30-2016,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,10-31-2016,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,11-30-2016,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,12-31-2016,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,01-31-2017,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,02-28-2017,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,03-31-2017,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,04-30-2017,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,05-31-2017,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,06-30-2017,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,07-31-2017,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,08-31-2017,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,09-30-2017,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,10-31-2017,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,11-30-2017,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00046,12-31-2017,[2012-01-23 -- ] Ronald Baron,[2016-01-23 -- ] Bill F. Baron,[2016-10-26 -- 2017-06-01] Tim S.
AB00050,01-31-2016,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,02-28-2016,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,03-31-2016,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,04-30-2016,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,05-31-2016,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,06-30-2016,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,07-31-2016,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,08-31-2016,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,09-30-2016,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,10-31-2016,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,11-30-2016,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,12-31-2016,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,01-31-2017,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,02-28-2017,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,03-31-2017,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,04-30-2017,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,05-31-2017,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,06-30-2017,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,07-31-2017,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,08-31-2017,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,09-30-2017,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,10-31-2017,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,11-30-2017,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
AB00050,12-31-2017,[2010-05-20 -- 2014-01-02] Tom T.,[2016-06-29 -- 2018-06-06] Sharon,
;
run;

I have used a code to keep only Managers' names in columns which are repeating according to the dates mentioned in the brackets and also matched with the dates of Date_Month column. Now the way my data looks like is given below:

Data Want;
infile datalines
dlm=","
missover
DSD;
input ID : $10.
	Date_Month : mmddyy10.
	Manager1 : $60.
	Manager2 : $60.
	Manager3 : $60. ;
format Date_Month mmddyy10. ;
datalines;
AB00046,01-31-2016,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,
AB00046,02-28-2016,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,
AB00046,03-31-2016,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,
AB00046,04-30-2016,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,
AB00046,05-31-2016,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,
AB00046,06-30-2016,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,
AB00046,07-31-2016,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,
AB00046,08-31-2016,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,
AB00046,09-30-2016,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,
AB00046,10-31-2016,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,Tim S.
AB00046,11-30-2016,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,Tim S.
AB00046,12-31-2016,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,Tim S.
AB00046,01-31-2017,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,Tim S.
AB00046,02-28-2017,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,Tim S.
AB00046,03-31-2017,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,Tim S.
AB00046,04-30-2017,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,Tim S.
AB00046,05-31-2017,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,Tim S.
AB00046,06-30-2017,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,Tim S.
AB00046,07-31-2017,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,
AB00046,08-31-2017,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,
AB00046,09-30-2017,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,
AB00046,10-31-2017,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,
AB00046,11-30-2017,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,
AB00046,12-31-2017,Ronald Baron,Bill F. Baron,
AB00050,01-31-2016,
AB00050,02-28-2016,
AB00050,03-31-2016,
AB00050,04-30-2016,
AB00050,05-31-2016,
AB00050,06-30-2016,Sharon
AB00050,07-31-2016,Sharon
AB00050,08-31-2016,Sharon
AB00050,09-30-2016,Sharon
AB00050,10-31-2016,Sharon
AB00050,11-30-2016,Sharon
AB00050,12-31-2016,Sharon
AB00050,01-31-2017,Sharon
AB00050,02-28-2017,Sharon
AB00050,03-31-2017,Sharon
AB00050,04-30-2017,Sharon
AB00050,05-31-2017,Sharon
AB00050,06-30-2017,Sharon
AB00050,07-31-2017,Sharon
AB00050,08-31-2017,Sharon
AB00050,09-30-2017,Sharon
AB00050,10-31-2017,Sharon
AB00050,11-30-2017,Sharon
AB00050,12-31-2017,Sharon
;
run;

I have used the following code to perform above-mentioned arramngement.:

data want;
set have;
array x{*} $ Manager1-Manager3;
array y{*} $ 32 new_Manager1-new_Manager3;

do i=1 to dim(x);
if not missing(x{i}) then do;

start=input(scan(scan(x{i},1,'[]'),1,' '),?? yymmdd10.);
if start<Date_Month then start=Date_Month;

end=intnx('month',input(scan(scan(x{i},1,'[]'),-1,' '),?? yymmdd10.),0,'e');
if end>'31dec2017'd or missing(end) then end='31dec2017'd;

if start<=Date_Month<=end then y{i}=scan(x{i},-1,'[]');
end;
end;

drop start end i;
run;

Now the issue I am facing is that SAS does not read these Managers' names as a character variable. I need to apply some coding where these managers' names will be matched with another file consisting same names. But unfortuantely these names are not Character variable so cannot be matched.

Plesae guide me that how to convert/format all of these observations of Manager1-Manager3 columns to be Character.

Thanks.

Re: Formatting observations to become Character Variable

Kurt_Bremser — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 10:34:36 GMT

If it contains a name, it IS character. Period.

Re: Formatting observations to become Character Variable

ballardw — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 18:06:23 GMT

Are you getting some message in the log that variables are numeric? Can you provide what you do that makes you think the names are not character?

topic Re: Formatting observations to become Character Variable in SAS Programming

Formatting observations to become Character Variable

Re: Formatting observations to become Character Variable

Re: Formatting observations to become Character Variable