topic converting variable type fron character to numeric in SAS Programming

converting variable type fron character to numeric

fadtt — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:44:59 GMT

I need help in converting variable type from character to numeric. I want to concatenate 3 datasets but I then discover that one variable defined as numeric in 2 of the datasets while it was character in the 3rd datasets. How do i go about this?

Thanks.

fadtt

converting variable type fron character to numeric

NickR — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:58:18 GMT

You can use input function to convert Character values to Numeric values. You may change the informat based on your data.

For e.g. numvar = input(charvar,best.);

converting variable type fron character to numeric

fadtt — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:08:22 GMT

Thanks, I already tried the input function but the type did not change thereby preventing me from concatenating the datasets.

converting variable type fron character to numeric

NickR — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:21:42 GMT

It would help if you can post your sample data and code.

converting variable type fron character to numeric

fadtt — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:34:07 GMT

Thanks NickR,

I tried it again and it worked. I was amazed. I appreciate it.

fadtt

converting variable type fron character to numeric

Doc_Duke — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:36:49 GMT

Fadtt,

This post would be better in the SAS Macro, Data Step... Community. This community is for getting started with using Communities, not for getting started with using SAS.

You got your answer, and that's good, but more people would have seen it in the other forum.

Doc Muhlbaier

Duke

converting variable type fron character to numeric

fadtt — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:44:58 GMT

Did I offend you by posting my question because I don't understand your comment.

converting variable type fron character to numeric

Doc_Duke — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:39:06 GMT

No offense at all. I saw you hadn't posted before and was offering a suggestion for more effective posting.

There are lots of Forums for posting questions at http://communities.sas.com/index.jspa . The one that is most pertinent to your question is "SAS Macro Facility, Data Step, and SAS Language Elements".

This Forum ("Getting Started: Community Instructions, Usage Tips, and Feedback") is designed for comments and questions about how to use the SAS Communities system itself. Right now, because SAS just moed to this platform, there are a lot of people watching this forum. As people get more comfortable with the process, there are likely to be fewer and fewer people looking at it to be available to answer SAS usage questions.

Doc Muhlbaier

Duke

converting variable type fron character to numeric

fadtt — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:46:48 GMT

I appreciate your advise. I am a bit new to discussion forum but I needed help at the time I just decided to make use of what I have on hand.

converting variable type fron character to numeric

QLi — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 20:18:34 GMT

another way to change Character variable to numeric variable,

Char_Var *1;

or Char_Var+0;