topic Re: Format for Character to numeric in SAS Programming

Format for Character to numeric

David_Billa — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 06:21:46 GMT

I've a value as '0,50708683901377' character and I want to convert it to numeric. After numeric conversion, I want the value as same as before I convert.

I tried with the Format 21.4 and also NUMX18.10 but it's not producing the desired results. Any help with the Format to produce the desired value?

What I tried is,

(input(H,Best32.)) as Value length = 8
            format = 21.4
            informat = 21.4

Desired result is, 0,50708683901377 as numeric

Re: Format for Character to numeric

Shmuel — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 06:48:17 GMT

It seems that the comma inside the number is for decimal sign (0,5 = a half).

in your case the number = '0,50708683901377' has 14 decimal digits.

Try using format 21.14

Re: Format for Character to numeric

David_Billa — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 06:56:57 GMT

Yes I have a comma inside number. Should I use 21.14 instead of 21.14 as I
have 14 numbers after comma?

Please help me understand this format.

Re: Format for Character to numeric

Shmuel — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 07:04:50 GMT

21.14 means 21 characters in whole, including the comma with 14 decimal digits, which leaves 6 characters for the integer. (6+1+14 = 21).

Re: Format for Character to numeric

hhinohar — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 07:33:39 GMT

/* https://documentation.sas.com/?cdcId=vdmmlcdc&cdcVersion=8.1&docsetId=leforinforref&docsetTarget=n056hzkipsxpcbn11ww9i9i47l0h.htm&locale=en */
data test_comma;
	format h commax16.14;
	h=input('0,50708683901377',comma16.14);
	put h=;
run;

Re: Format for Character to numeric

DanielRingqvist — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 07:36:06 GMT

As you have a decimal comma you need to use the "X" formats (commax, numx etc.).

In this case use NumX32.14.

Even though NumX16.14 would be enough to handle the width of this string the next value could be '65342522,50708683901377' which would require NumX23.14.

Data char2num;
	H = '0,50708683901377';
	Value = Input(H,numX32.14);
	Format Value NumX32.14;
	Put Value NumX32.14 ;
Run;

Re: Format for Character to numeric

David_Billa — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 08:03:57 GMT

Can we use commx32.14 format also?

Re: Format for Character to numeric

DanielRingqvist — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 08:12:10 GMT

Yes, in this case.

But if your input value was '65342522,50708683901377' it wouldn't work as CommaX looks for thousand separators.

With '65.342.522,50708683901377' you should use CommaX.

Re: Format for Character to numeric

David_Billa — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 08:20:57 GMT

Well, NumX formats can also be used in place of CommaX format?

Re: Format for Character to numeric

Kurt_Bremser — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 08:24:43 GMT

Do not use fractional parts in informats. If no comma is present in the string, the informat will first divide by 10**(fractional part), and then apply the format. A string of "1" would then result in 1e-14.

Simply do

input(H,commax32.) as Value length = 8 format = 21.4

it is not necessary to define an informat; defined informats are only needed when reading from external data.

Re: Format for Character to numeric

DanielRingqvist — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 08:40:00 GMT

I see that CommaX will work just as well as NumX.

From the doc
"The COMMAX w. d informat reads numeric values and removes embedded periods, blanks, dollar signs, percent signs, hyphens, and close parentheses from the input data. The COMMAX w. d informat converts an open parenthesis at the beginning of a field to a minus sign"