topic Re: Converting numeric to character in SAS Enterprise Guide

Converting numeric to character

Mogreenly — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 16:59:28 GMT

Hi,

I am trying to use the PUT function to convert a variable in z8 numeric format to a character format.

My code is as follows:

char_id = put(id,z8.);

where id is a numeric variable of format z8

However, when I run this the char_id variable is created, but is empty for every observations.

Thanks,

Mark

Re: Converting numeric to character

novinosrin — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 17:05:18 GMT

can you post a sample of your data? plz

Just helps testing

Re: Converting numeric to character

Kurt_Bremser — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 17:12:38 GMT

Maxim 2: read the log.

See my footnotes for hints on posting data.

Re: Converting numeric to character

Mogreenly — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 18:05:14 GMT

Hi novinosrin,

Thanks for your reply.

Here is a sample of the two variables in question.

Re: Converting numeric to character

novinosrin — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 18:16:29 GMT

I don't see any problem in the code or the result.

Here is my test:

589 data w1;
590 set tmp1.sample;
591 char_id = put(id,z8.);
592 put char_id=;
593 run;

char_id=00244302
char_id=01913948
char_id=01913956
char_id=01913964
char_id=01981501
char_id=02099179
char_id=02099187
char_id=02219492
char_id=02230694
char_id=02233014
char_id=02237317
char_id=02237319
char_id=02237320
char_id=02240835
char_id=02240836
char_id=02240837
char_id=02241751
char_id=02241927

Re: Converting numeric to character

Mogreenly — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 18:31:41 GMT

Thanks for your help.

I tried pulling that section of code out into a separate data step and it seems to be working now. It still does not work when imbedded within another data step (as I was doing before). I suppose there is an underlying nuance of SAS that I do not quite grasp.

Re: Converting numeric to character

novinosrin — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 18:33:29 GMT

Should you further require any help at all, feel free to open a new thread or a follow up question, however you please.

Welcome to the SAS forum 🙂 Have fun!

Re: Converting numeric to character

Kurt_Bremser — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 19:01:33 GMT

@Mogreenly wrote:

Thanks for your help.

I tried pulling that section of code out into a separate data step and it seems to be working now. It still does not work when imbedded within another data step (as I was doing before). I suppose there is an underlying nuance of SAS that I do not quite grasp.

This means that in your other code you do something that clears either id or your newly created character variable.