topic Re: Need to convert character mm/dd/yyyy to SAS date and time in SAS Enterprise Guide

Need to convert character mm/dd/yyyy to SAS date and time in Query Builder

carmendee — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 20:42:04 GMT

Can this be done in the advanced expression calculation?

Example data to convert from char to SAS date:

02/12/2016 to 12FEB2016:00:00:00

Re: Need to convert character mm/dd/yyyy to SAS date and time

Tom — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 18:38:44 GMT

Will that tool let you type an actualy function? If your variable with the characters in is named CHARVAR then this assignment statement will make the variable DATETIME have the equivalent datetime value.

datetime=dhms(input(charvar,'MMDDYY10.'),,,0);

Re: Need to convert character mm/dd/yyyy to SAS date and time in Query Builder

ChrisHemedinger — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 20:42:28 GMT

Yes, @Tom is correct. The Advanced Expression window allows this:

dhms(input(t1.charvar,'MMDDYY10.'),,,0)

Looks like this in your window:

Re: Need to convert character mm/dd/yyyy to SAS date and time in Query Builder

Reeza — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 21:24:53 GMT

@ChrisHemedinger Are the quotes required around the format? I think it might be like the following:

dhms(input(t1.charvar, MMDDYY10.),,,0)

Re: Need to convert character mm/dd/yyyy to SAS date and time in Query Builder

Tom — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 23:24:49 GMT

With the INPUT() functions you do not want the quotes around the format since the second argument is a format.

But the INPUTN() function , or the INPUTC() function, take an expression for the second argument so you do need the quotes.

Re: Need to convert character mm/dd/yyyy to SAS date and time in Query Builder

carmendee — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 13:49:35 GMT

This worked. I had to add DATETIME20 to the format under "Modify additional options" in Enterprise Guide.

Thanks all!