topic Re: convert state abbreviations to full names in SAS Programming

convert state abbreviations to full names

klj81 — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 21:02:19 GMT

I have a data set that consists of names, addresses, state, zip, and phone number.

I am trying to convert the states from their two letter abbreviations to the full name of the state.

I tried using the stnamel function but I am not sure how to do it for multiple states;

For example, when I use

State=stnamel('PA');

put state;

State=stname ('CA')l;

put state;

All states in the State column turn to Pennsylvania.

I am a newbie to SAS and could not find examples of this.

Re: convert state abbreviations to full names

Cynthia_sas — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 21:43:29 GMT

Hi:

You didn't show all your code or your data structure, so I'm not sure what you mean by "how to do it for multiple states" -- every row has a different state. As an example:

data state;
  length state_name $50;
  infile datalines;
  input name $ stcode $;
  state_name = stnamel(stcode);
  putlog _n_= name= stcode= state_name=;
return;
datalines;
Alan  NC
Barb  SC
Cyndi OH
Dave  DC
Eddy  WA
;
run;

Results in this in the log:

You might mean that you have multiple states for every observation? Perhaps you have something like this:

which just means you have a function call for every variable.

Hope this helps,

Cynthia

Re: convert state abbreviations to full names

klj81 — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 23:16:48 GMT

Thanks for the response Cynthia!

I'll enter some of my code/data to try to explain a little better....

data customers10;

input First $ Last $ City $ State $ Zip;

datalines;

Tyler Smith Upland PA 91783

Samantha Davis Montclair NJ 07163

Michael Rodriguez Metuchen NJ 08840

David Jorge Frenso CA 93650

;

run;

I am looking to get the full name for the states like 'California' but every time I have tried the stnamel function I think I have done it incorrectly.

Re: convert state abbreviations to full names

ballardw — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 23:32:47 GMT

Please show your entire data step. One line of code does not indicate when a value is assigned in relation to when it is written to a data set.

Some example input data may also be needed.

@klj81 wrote:

I have a data set that consists of names, addresses, state, zip, and phone number.

I am trying to convert the states from their two letter abbreviations to the full name of the state.

I tried using the stnamel function but I am not sure how to do it for multiple states;

For example, when I use

State=stnamel('PA');

put state;

State=stname ('CA')l;<= There is a typo on this line

put state;

All states in the State column turn to Pennsylvania.

I am a newbie to SAS and could not find examples of this.

The code you posted also would have an error for 'CA'.

Re: convert state abbreviations to full names

ChrisBrooks — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 23:34:08 GMT

Hi @klj81 does this not work for you?

data customers10;
	length statename $50;
	input First $ Last $ City $ State $ Zip;
	statename=stnamel(state);
datalines;
Tyler Smith Upland PA 91783
Samantha Davis Montclair NJ 07163
Michael Rodriguez Metuchen NJ 08840
David Jorge Frenso CA 93650
;
run;

Re: convert state abbreviations to full names

ballardw — Fri, 08 Feb 2019 00:07:48 GMT

By any chance are you having issues when the City is something like San Francisco?

Your example data step code would be reading Francisco into state and not CA.