topic Re: how to convert date $8. to sas date in SAS Programming

how to convert date $8. to sas date

Bal23 — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 15:48:09 GMT

the original dataset has date variables are listed as 20051001, 20160705

would you please recommend how to convert them to sas date

FORMAT date date9.;
date= input(date, yymmdd10.);

Reeza — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 16:01:00 GMT

You can't change a variable type in place, you need to recreate a new variable.

FORMAT date_new date9.;
date_new= input(date, yymmdd10.);

Bal23 — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 16:05:42 GMT

sorry, my previous message was not clear

i did the same way as you said,

with a new variable

but the new varabile has all missing values

the date format is yyyymmdd, like 20160705, i do not know how to convert

Kurt_Bremser — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 16:17:32 GMT

Use the yymmdd8. format in the input function.

Also post the log of the data step.

Reeza — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 20:44:25 GMT

Was there an error or note in your log?

Bal23 — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 20:47:42 GMT

thanks.

there was no error

the problem disappeared when i ran my code again (eighter 8 or 10), so it might the sas or my computer problem?

Reeza — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 20:50:51 GMT

Possibly. It's more likely you had some other issue and running from the beginning fixed it.

This is especially true if your in the habit of naming your output the same at the dataset in your SET statement.

Data want;
Set want;

...

Run;

Bal23 — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 20:53:57 GMT

thanks