topic Re: Character Variables Range in SAS Programming

Character Variables Range

apple — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 01:40:34 GMT

proc format;

value $LOAN_NUM_YR_LFT_CNT

'0'='0'

'0'<-'10'='0<-10'

'10'<-'29'='10<-29'

'30'-'35'='30-35'

'35'<-high='Above 35'

;

run;

When I use this format for a character variable, a separate column is created for 3 when it should be included in '0<-10', how to correct this error?

Thanks

PGStats — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 02:32:51 GMT

You are asking for trouble; but anyway, if your strings all represent integers between 0 and 99, I think you could get away with:

proc format;

value $LOAN_NUM_YR_LFT_CNT

'0'='0'

'1'-'9', '10'='0<-10'

'11'-'29'='10<-29'

'30'-'35'='30-35'

'36'-high='Above 35'

;

run;

The result will depend on the character collating sequence in use.

Tom — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 03:22:05 GMT

'3' is not included in any of the ranges you have listed.

'3' is larger than '10' since '3' comes after '1' .

'3' is larger than '29' since '3' comes after '2'.

'3' is smaller than '30' since ' ' (space) comes before '0' .

apple — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 04:42:24 GMT

Thanks for the reply.

But I don't understand how SAS read range for character variable format.

"'3' is smaller than '30' since ' ' (space) comes before '0' ." I don't understand.

Can someone explain things more clearly so I won't make the same mistake?

Thank you a lot!

Tom — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 07:42:22 GMT

It is like looking up a word in a dictionary. Just like 'A ' is smaller than 'AZ'.

To see the relative order of all characters look at a chart of ASCII codes. ASCII Code - The extended ASCII table