topic Re: Changing Variable Output in SAS Programming

Changing Variable Output

elli444 — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 15:25:47 GMT

Hello all,

I am creating a new variable in a data step. The code is below:

if hisp_not='.' then ethnicity1='';
if hisp_not='1' then ethnicity1='';
if hisp_not='0' then ethnicity1='E1';

When I run a proc print of var ethnicity1 the output has changed to "E".

It is essential for the output data to be E1 in order to import into our database.

I checked and the format is $4 so it's not a formatting issue.

Does anyone have any idea why this would happen and how to fix it?

Thank you!

Re: Changing Variable Output

ballardw — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 16:41:26 GMT

If you examine the properties of the variable Ethnicity1 you will find that it has a length of one character and so cannot accept the second character. Format does not control length, only display appearance.

If the first use of a character variable is an assignment such as your Ethnicity1=''; that will set the length of the variable. You need to specify a length before use if want it to hold longer values.

length Ethnicity1 $ 2 ;

BEFORE the assignment code you are using.

If you want multiple values treated the same you can use the IN operator

if hisp_not='.' then ethnicity1='';
if hisp_not='1' then ethnicity1='';

/* can be replaced with*/
if hisp_not in ('.' '1' ) then ethnicity1='';

Re: Changing Variable Output

Reeza — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 16:10:34 GMT

is your variable hisp_not numeric or character?