topic Re: Multiple lengths warning message in SAS Programming

Multiple lengths warning message

Ronein — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 08:33:35 GMT

Hello

I am getting a warning Multiple lengths were specified for the variable productId

I am adding length statement but it still exists.

Any idea for solution please?

proc sort data=t1;by  appIdentity  IP ;Run;
proc sort data=t2;by  appIdentity IP ;Run;
Data t3;
length productId $30.;
SET t1   t2;
by appIdentity IP ;
RUN;
/*WARNING: Multiple lengths were specified for the variable productId by input data set(s). This can cause truncation of data.*/

Re: Multiple lengths warning message

Oligolas — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 09:11:06 GMT

your defined length is too short. remove the dot in your length specification btw., you're defining a length, not a format.

Re: Multiple lengths warning message

Kurt_Bremser — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 09:53:08 GMT

Ask yourself why you have different lengths in the first place.

Where is the variable created?

Re: Multiple lengths warning message

tarheel13 — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 11:47:46 GMT

what is the length of productID in both of those datasets? make the length as long as the longer length in the 2 datasets and the warning should go away.

Re: Multiple lengths warning message

Astounding — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 14:04:22 GMT

To get this result, the length must be longer in T2 than it is in T1. A quick and easy fix would be to switch the order of the data sets in the SET statement:

proc sort data=t1;by  appIdentity IP ;Run;
proc sort data=t2;by  appIdentity IP ;Run;
Data t3;
SET t2 t1;
by appIdentity IP ;
run;

However, if this problem exists for other variables as well, this might not fix the entire problem.

Re: Multiple lengths warning message

Sajid01 — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 14:35:34 GMT

Hello @Ronein
Suggest that you do a proc content of t1 and t2 and verify the variable lengths.

Re: Multiple lengths warning message

ballardw — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 14:43:07 GMT

Here is a short working example of @Astounding and the change of order that involves two sets everyone can see.

The Length statement alone does not change the warning.

data one;
  x='a';
run;

data two;
  x='bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb';
run;

data example1;
   length x $ 5;
   set one two;
run;

data example2;
   length x $ 25;
   set one two;
run;

data example3;
   set two one ;
run;

Fix the lengths before combining the data sets if you have many variables with different lengths and do not want to see that warning.