https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/Substr-help/m-p/68249#M19546 thanks! worked a treat! Mon, 31 Aug 2009 06:57:33 GMT deleted_user 2009-08-31T06:57:33Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/Substr-help/m-p/68247#M19544 I have a list of records of Brief No's in the format xxxxx-yy<BR /> <BR /> I wish to keep only the 'x's, however, they are not a standard length, some are 6 characters long, some 5. The 'y's aren't strictly 2 character's either, sometimes one, sometimes 2. <BR /> <BR /> The only constant is the hyphen. <BR /> <BR /> How can I use the Substr to keep only the part of the string before the hyphen?<BR /> <BR /> Thanks in advance Mon, 31 Aug 2009 05:41:45 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/Substr-help/m-p/68247#M19544 deleted_user 2009-08-31T05:41:45Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/Substr-help/m-p/68248#M19545 scan(breifNo,1,'-') Mon, 31 Aug 2009 06:45:07 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/Substr-help/m-p/68248#M19545 LinusH 2009-08-31T06:45:07Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/Substr-help/m-p/68249#M19546 thanks! worked a treat! Mon, 31 Aug 2009 06:57:33 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/Substr-help/m-p/68249#M19546 deleted_user 2009-08-31T06:57:33Z