topic Re: Reading in Data in SAS Enterprise Guide

Reading in Data

deleted_user — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:11:21 GMT

Hi!
I am not sure that I am in right forum or not but I need your help
I have a dataset with 256 variables and approximately 6000 records for each, with some missing values, some values are 15 to 18 digit numbers usually below zero ( e.g. 0.02546373829287464) others with smaller length but they are not same for each variable ( varying length). I do not have neither total LRECL nor length, format of each variable. nobody else does is either. I can not read in my data correctly SAS shifts the data to left.
Please help me with statements that I have to use to change the reading frame.

I am an amateur, please use layman language.
Thanks, Ramtin

Re: Reading in Data

Cynthia_sas — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:26:58 GMT

Hi, Ramtin:
Your best bet for help with this problem is to contact Tech Support. There are several different ways to read data into SAS -- the method will depend on whether there's a space between every number, whether the values are separated by commas or whether every column starts in the same position in the file.

You may not be able to import the data without writing a program or having someone help you write a program. Generally, you do not have to worry about the LRECL of your file, unless the file is bigger than the SAS default.

However, you might consider contacting SAS Tech Support for more help. Tech Support has the resources to look at your file and make recommendations about the best method to read the data into SAS.

To open a track with Tech Support, go to:
http://support.sas.com/ctx/supportform/index.jsp

cynthia

Re: Reading in Data

Doc_Duke — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:47:25 GMT

Ramtin,

You may also lose precision in your data in reading it into SAS (SAS can read it in, but storing and subsequent use may not retain all the digits precisely.). See the reference below for a discussion of how SAS stores data.

http://support.sas.com/techsup/technote/ts654.pdf

Doc

Re: Reading in Data

deleted_user — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 19:54:49 GMT

Thanks guys!
I sent an email to SAS tech support to see if it is possible.
in the meantime I used PROC ACCESS to convert my excel file to SAS database while only reading first 8 characters for each observation, it is less precise but at least working.