topic Convert to SAS date in character variable in SAS Programming

Convert to SAS date in character variable

David_Billa — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 10:05:43 GMT

I've a variable (Test) values as follows. It's a character variable. I want to convert only the value 21183 to 30DEC2017 and still it should be a character variable.

Data As is:

Test

21183-23-TUSE-GHU

Data To be:

Test

30DEC2017-23-TUSE-GHU

Re: Convert to SAS date in character variable

Kurt_Bremser — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 10:15:05 GMT

data test;
length test $100;
test = "21183-23-TUSE-GHU";
index = indexc(test,'-');
test = put(input(substr(test,1,index-1),5.),date9.) !! substr(test,index);
drop index;
run;

Ask yourself if it wouldn't be better to use YYMMDDD10. instead of DATE9.

Re: Convert to SAS date in character variable

PeterClemmensen — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 10:17:21 GMT

One way

data _null_;
    a='21183-23-TUSE-GHU';
    b=cats(put(input(scan(a, 1, '-'), 8.), date9.), substr(a, indexc(a,'-')));
    put b=;
ruN;

Re: Convert to SAS date in character variable

ballardw — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 15:25:55 GMT

@David_Billa wrote:

I've a variable (Test) values as follows. It's a character variable. I want to convert only the value 21183 to 30DEC2017 and still it should be a character variable.

Data As is:

Test

21183-23-TUSE-GHU

Data To be:

Test

30DEC2017-23-TUSE-GHU

Where did the 21183 come from in the first place? If you created that value then show use how as that would be the place to do create the correct value to begin with.

BTW replacing 5 characters with 9 in the same variable may not be desired as you may exceed the current defined length of the variable and have truncation as a result.