topic Re: input function unnecessarily converting numeric to characters in SAS Programming

input function unnecessarily converting numeric to characters

KAZ — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 20:06:41 GMT

I am attempting to get rid of a NOTE in the log file. (v9.4, Windows)

I run the following code:

data _temp;	
	a=1; output; 
run;

data _temp2;	
	set _temp;
	b = input(a, best12.);
run;

In the log, there is this NOTE:

NOTE: Numeric values have been converted to character values at the places given by:

Both variables a and b are numeric, and best12. is numeric informat. Why is the input function converting numeric values to character values?

Is there another function I should use to get rid of the NOTE in the log?

Re: input function unnecessarily converting numeric to characters

Kurt_Bremser — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 20:12:23 GMT

Because input() is designed to input from strings, the numeric value in a must first be converted to character, so it can be read with the best12. informat.

Re: input function unnecessarily converting numeric to characters

SuryaKiran — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 20:18:17 GMT

INPUT() function is used to convert character to numeric. In your example INPUT(a,best12.) --> Here 'a' must be given character values. Since you gave numeric value it converted to character and again ti numeric.

Re: input function unnecessarily converting numeric to characters

Reeza — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 20:24:17 GMT

What are you trying to do?

Re: input function unnecessarily converting numeric to characters

KAZ — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 20:32:07 GMT

I am trying to use informats for data validation.

For example, the external data is expected to have three values 0, 1, and 99 to indicate unknown. I want to return a variable with just 0 and 1, convert the 99 to missing and throw an error when other values are encountered.

data _externalData;	
	a=1; output; 
	a=0; output;
	a=77; output;
	a=99; output;
run;

proc format;
	invalue test	
		0-1 	= _same_
		99	= . 
		other 	= _error_
	;
run;

data _myData;	
	set _externalData;
	b = input(a, test.);
run;

The results are what I desire, I just want to get rid of the (seemingly) unnecessary NOTE in the log. Should I be using another function besides input?

Re: input function unnecessarily converting numeric to characters

Kurt_Bremser — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 20:37:14 GMT

b = input(put(a,best.),test.);

Re: input function unnecessarily converting numeric to characters

SuryaKiran — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 20:54:26 GMT

data _externalData;

a=1; output;

a=0; output;

a=77; output;

a=99; output;

run;

proc format;

value tet

0 = 0

1 = 1

99 = .

other ="_error_"

;

run;

data _myData;

set _externalData;

b = put(a, test.);

run;