topic Re: Using a length statement in SAS Programming

Using a length statement

CathyVI — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 18:35:51 GMT

I am trying to check the length of a certain character variable. I have a variable id_Settings which all values should have a length of 8 e.g. CA455006. How do i use the length statement to check if all my observations in the ID_settings have the required length ?

Basically, how do I use length statement to check the length of variable ID_setting?

I have sample data but the original data has over 2 million encounters.

data check;
input Name $ 1-5 ID_setting $ 7-15;
datalines;
Dog DO123232
Cat CA345566
Mouse MO987973
Dog DO468579
Owl OW576864
Cat CA089854
run;

Thanks,

Re: Using a length statement

PaigeMiller — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 18:39:10 GMT

I think you don't mean the length of the character variable, I think you mean the length of the text string in each observation. These are not the same.

In that case, you use the LENGTH function.

data check;
input Name $ 1-5 ID_setting $ 7-15;
l=length(id_setting);
datalines;
Dog   DO123232
Cat   CA345566
Mouse MO987973
Dog   DO468579
Owl   OW576864
Cat   CA089854
;

Re: Using a length statement

Reeza — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 18:42:07 GMT

A length STATEMENT sets the maximum possible length for a character variable. The length FUNCTION returns the number of characters in a variable.

You want the length function, length().

data want;
set have;
length_ID = length(ID_Setting);
run;

*see the different values;
proc freq data=want;
table length_id;
run;

*find anything not 8.
data not8;
set want;
where length_id ne 8;
run;

Re: Using a length statement

CathyVI — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 19:06:10 GMT

@PaigeMiller, Yes, you are right i mean the length of the text string in each observation. Thank you.

Re: Using a length statement

CathyVI — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 19:07:31 GMT

@Reeza: Thank you! This works.

Re: Using a length statement

ChrisNZ — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 20:36:34 GMT

Actually, you might prefer function lengthn() since function length() will not let you know if you have empty strings.