topic Re: Replace a character in a string in SAS Programming

Replace a character in a string

SASMom2 — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 19:43:04 GMT

Good Afternoon, I have a 7 character variable in a dataset. I want to replace 'X' in the 2nd position from left with a '0' in this variable. And same way in a different dataset, replace '0' in the 2nd position from left with 'X'.

1st dataset:

I have: 0X12345

I want: 0012345

2nd dataset:

I have: 0012345

I want: 0X12345

Thank you in advance!

Re: Replace a character in a string

PaigeMiller — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 20:01:26 GMT

For data set 1, this is what you would do

if substr(variablename,2,1)='X' then substr(variablename,2,1)='0';

I leave it to you as a homework assignment to write the code needed (as a modification of the above code) for data set 2.

Re: Replace a character in a string

SASMom2 — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 21:40:24 GMT

Thank you for your reply. Below is what I did.

data test2;
set dropnulls;
if substr(pol_nbr,2,1)='X' then rpol_nbr = substr(pol_nbr,2,1)='0';
where pol_nm is missing;
run;

I am getting 0 in the field where 2nd position letter is X.

for an example, for a value of 0X04236 I am getting 0 in the field instead of 0004236.

Thanks

Re: Replace a character in a string

SASMom2 — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 21:44:36 GMT

I think I figured it out. Thank you for all your help. I appreciate it.

Re: Replace a character in a string

quickbluefish — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 00:18:26 GMT

For this particular situation, you can also use the following weird SAS syntax:

substr(V,2,1)='X';

...where V is whatever your variable name is.

Re: Replace a character in a string

SASMom2 — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 01:44:13 GMT

thank you for your reply.