topic Not able to convert numeric variable to character in SAS Programming

Not able to convert numeric variable to character

VRD — Wed, 28 May 2014 09:06:00 GMT

I have a dataset where i have few numeric variables and want to convert them into character. I used put function but it is not getting converted to character.

the variable has TYPE: NUM LENGTH: 8 FORMAT: BEST12. INFORMAT: 12.

Re: Not able to convert numeric variable to character

user24feb — Wed, 28 May 2014 09:11:55 GMT

Number_Character=Compress(""!!Number);

like in:

Data Ex;

Input Number;

Number_Character=Compress(""!!Number);

Datalines;

;

Run;

.. a bit rude force, but works ..

Re: Not able to convert numeric variable to character

VRD — Wed, 28 May 2014 09:16:12 GMT

It didnt work. i get same result and in numeric.

Re: Not able to convert numeric variable to character

RW9 — Wed, 28 May 2014 09:18:34 GMT

Please post example data of what you are using as : strip(put(num,best.))

Should work.

Re: Not able to convert numeric variable to character

user24feb — Wed, 28 May 2014 09:33:38 GMT

**If you copy-paste the entire code, hopefully (at least) one of the 3 ways to convert a number to a character variable should work;

Data Sample_Data;
Input Number Best12.;
Datalines;
2
3
.
4
.
82
;
Run;

Data S2;
Set Sample_Data;
Number_Character=Compress(""!!Number);
Number_Character2=Strip(Put(Number,Best12.));
Number_Character3=CatX('',Number);
Run;

Proc Print Data=S2 NoObs; Run;

Re: Not able to convert numeric variable to character

RW9 — Wed, 28 May 2014 10:15:24 GMT

Hi user24feb,

Whilst the compress and catx might work in certain circumstances, I wouldn't think that is best practice. What you are relying on there is SAS implicitly converting character strings into numeric. If you want to apply any kind of length/formatting etc. it wouldn't work. The two SAS functions put and input are specifically designed to convert num->char and back again. In my example above: strip(put(num,best.)), I have just given best. as I do not know the data in question. However if you are programming it then you should know up front what you want the data to look like. So if I am developing a table with 1 dp percentages I want the output to look like:

54 ( 34.5)

23 (100.0)

...

SAS would not implicitly convert as I require (i.e. 3 space before dot), I would need to use: result||" ("||put(pcent,5.2)||")".