topic Re: Generating Random Numbers with specific format in SAS Programming

Generating Random Numbers with specific format

kmardinian — Mon, 06 May 2019 19:53:21 GMT

Hi, I would like to create a list of 25 randomly generated numbers that start with the two letters "AB----" ex: AB14587, AB65899, AB36525, etc.

I looked into the RAND function, but can't seem to figure out how I would incorporate the "AB-" in there.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Re: Generating Random Numbers with specific format

noling — Mon, 06 May 2019 19:59:17 GMT

You could combine the output from this link with what you already have for the numeric portion: http://support.sas.com/kb/51/386.html

This would be combining 2 random elements: the text and the numbers.

Re: Generating Random Numbers with specific format

PeterClemmensen — Mon, 06 May 2019 20:01:30 GMT

Do something like this

data want(drop=i);
   length num $20;
   do i=1 to 25;
      num=cats("AB", rand('integer', 100, 10000));
      output;
   end;
run;

Re: Generating Random Numbers with specific format

Reeza — Mon, 06 May 2019 20:16:02 GMT

Modifying @PeterClemmensen solution very slightly to use Z5 format so that you always have a string of the same length.

data want(drop=i);
   length num $20;
   do i=1 to 25;
      num=cats("AB", put(rand('integer', 1, 10000), z5.));
      output;
   end;
run;

Re: Generating Random Numbers with specific format

ballardw — Mon, 06 May 2019 20:18:54 GMT

@kmardinian wrote:

Hi, I would like to create a list of 25 randomly generated numbers that start with the two letters "AB----" ex: AB14587, AB65899, AB36525, etc.

I looked into the RAND function, but can't seem to figure out how I would incorporate the "AB-" in there.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Being a bit pedantic but unless AB are HEX digits then you are NOT generating random "numbers".

If you cast the question as "I would like to create a string value that starts with AB- followed by a random number" you might even have figured it out yourself.

Is there a specific range in the number of digits the number part must possess?

Re: Generating Random Numbers with specific format

Reeza — Mon, 06 May 2019 20:20:11 GMT

What about duplicates? Are duplicates allowed?

Re: Generating Random Numbers with specific format

kmardinian — Mon, 06 May 2019 20:31:21 GMT

Duplicates would not be allowed.

I tried it using the do loop and it worked the way I needed it to!

Thank you!

Re: Generating Random Numbers with specific format

Reeza — Mon, 06 May 2019 21:31:29 GMT

@kmardinian wrote:

Duplicates would not be allowed.

I tried it using the do loop and it worked the way I needed it to!

Thank you!

My solution may generate duplicates.