topic Re: Problem with var name turn to "_" when import in SAS Programming

Problem with var name turn to "_" when import

hhchenfx — Wed, 20 Mar 2019 03:54:10 GMT

Hi Everyone,

I import a csv file with the following first row:

Project_name,Labor Category,Location,Project Type,Pay Code,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Totals

SAS takes all column name up to Pay Code correct. Then column name turn to "_", then correctly assign VAR7, VAR8... VAR20, Totals

Why my VAR6 turn to "_" ? Please help me to fix.

Thank you so much.

HHCFX


	proc import datafile="C:\\_temp\15days.csv"
	out=Utime dbms=csv replace; getnames=yes;run;

Re: Problem with var name turn to "_" when import

novinosrin — Wed, 20 Mar 2019 04:18:21 GMT

Please check if there's an embedded blank or some kind in the variable name where proc import pads with _

Re: Problem with var name turn to "_" when import

Tom — Wed, 20 Mar 2019 04:22:08 GMT

I see 20 commas in that line. So it looks like you have 21 columns.

What names do you WANT SAS to use for the columns that don't have headers?

Project_name,Labor Category,Location,Project Type,Pay Code,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Totals

If you have a simple text file then just write your own data step to read it. No need to use PROC IMPORT and force SAS to guess what is in the file.

Re: Problem with var name turn to "_" when import

Kurt_Bremser — Wed, 20 Mar 2019 07:03:47 GMT

Write your own data step and avoid the guessing of proc import.

Re: Problem with var name turn to "_" when import

hhchenfx — Sat, 23 Mar 2019 02:14:49 GMT

Hi,

The problem is that each time of import, the number of column changes.

I will check my data again.

Thanks for your help.

HHCFX

Re: Problem with var name turn to "_" when import

Tom — Sat, 23 Mar 2019 03:33:47 GMT

@hhchenfx wrote:

Hi,

The problem is that each time of import, the number of column changes.

I will check my data again.

Thanks for your help.

HHCFX

How are you going to handle this variation? Not sure if PROC IMPORT helps that much, the resulting datasets are still going be different if the input files are different.

Is there a pattern to the variation? For example perhaps the number of columns represents the number of samples taken or the number of days or months of measurement. If there is a pattern then you can write a SAS program to handle the files.

Share examples of the text files, just enough lines (and columns) to show the pattern. Paste the lines of the file into the editor using the pop-up window you get when you click on the {i} (insert code) button on the editor menu bar. That will prevent the forum editor from treating the data as words and sentences and messing up the formatting.

Re: Problem with var name turn to "_" when import

hhchenfx — Sat, 23 Mar 2019 03:39:06 GMT

Thanks, Tom.

I will do it.

HHC