topic SAS output missing values in a numeric variable as "." only (instead of blank) in csv file in SAS Programming

SAS output missing values in a numeric variable as "." only (instead of blank) in csv file

ari — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 07:03:09 GMT

Hi, I tried the following code but the missing values in the value column appear as blanks only instead of the . (dot).

If missing(value) then value= . ;

I tried also this.

If missing(value) then value= "." ;

It didn't work, I still see missing values as blanks only for the value numeric variable.

Please help.

Re: SAS output missing values in a numeric variable as "." only (instead of blank) in csv

Kurt_Bremser — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 07:15:09 GMT

Look at your MISSING option:

proc options option=missing;
run;

(inspect the log)

You have a statement

options missing=" ";

somewhere in your code (or in the SAS startup code) that replaces the default dot.

Re: SAS output missing values in a numeric variable as "." only (instead of blank) in csv

Patrick — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 09:13:33 GMT

Following @Kurt_Bremser's suggestion: Just add the following on top of your code and see if this helps.

options missing='.';

Re: SAS output missing values in a numeric variable as "." only (instead of blank) in csv

ari — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 16:05:29 GMT

Hi, Thanks for the response. I want to see the dot for missing numeric variables in the csv output file. But missing values are blanks in the csv file. Any ideas to represent missing values as dot (".") in csv file?

Re: SAS output missing values in a numeric variable as "." only (instead of blank) in csv

Kurt_Bremser — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 16:53:11 GMT

Use the OPTIONS statement @Patrick posted before writing to the csv file.