topic How to convert a field which is formatted as MGBYTES. to bytes (only numbers) ? in SAS Programming

How to convert a field which is formatted as MGBYTES. to bytes (only numbers) ?

knobwan — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 16:40:15 GMT

Good morning !

How to convert a field which has the format of MGBYTES. to bytes (only numbers) ?

Sometimes i have entries like "100k", sometimes entries like "35M" and I would like to standardize all values to Bytes (only numbers).

Any ideas please ?

Thanks !!

Re: How to convert a field which is formatted as MGBYTES. to bytes (only numbers) ?

Tom — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 17:06:14 GMT

Look at the proc contents of the dataset with that variable. Is it numeric or character? If it is numeric with the SIZEKMG format attached to it then just use a different format for displaying the values.

If it is character do you want to make a new variable that has a number in it? Or change the strings in the current variable? If the latter is the variable defined long enough to store the longer strings it will require?

Re: How to convert a field which is formatted as MGBYTES. to bytes (only numbers) ?

Kurt_Bremser — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 17:08:22 GMT

Separate the string into a number and the "unit" part with the help of the NOTDIGIT function.

INPUT the number, and use an informat to convert the unit to a multiplicator.

By supplying example data in usable form (data step with datalines), you make it easy for us to come up with code suggestions.

Re: How to convert a field which is formatted as MGBYTES. to bytes (only numbers) ?

knobwan — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 19:04:05 GMT

Proc contents shows this :

VARIABLE TYPE  LEN  FORMAT
-------- ----- --- ---------
SIZEA     NUM   5   MGBYTES.

I'm basically printing this variable with put in the output file:

DATA _NULL_;
SET ;
FILE FOUT NOPRINT ;

IF _N_ = 1 THEN DO ;
  PUT 'SYSTEM|'
      'SIZE|';

PUT SYSTEM '|'
     SIZEA '|';

RUN;

I also checked the NOTDIGIT.. but my sas experience is limited. No clue on how to use to have the number converted to bytes.

Re: How to convert a field which is formatted as MGBYTES. to bytes (only numbers) ?

Kurt_Bremser — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 19:12:00 GMT

Since your variable is numeric, just remove the format with

format sizea;

in the data step.

Re: How to convert a field which is formatted as MGBYTES. to bytes (only numbers) ?

knobwan — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 20:04:00 GMT

The code didn't end in error. But issue a warning and printed the same values... 300K, 50M

Re: How to convert a field which is formatted as MGBYTES. to bytes (only numbers) ?

Kurt_Bremser — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 20:08:23 GMT

Please post the complete log of the step. Copy/paste it into a window opened with the </> button.