topic Re: Combining Columns in SAS Procedures

Combining Columns

deleted_user — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 04:52:18 GMT

Hi all,

I've been looking through the help guide and I can't seem to find anything on merging the data in two columns together. What I am trying to do is attach the data in column B to that in column A so I only have one column..

For example, at the moment my data is separated like:

First Name (Column A) Last Name (Column B)
John Smith

But I want:

Name (Column A)
John Smith

It's probably so simple and obvious but I can't for the life of me figure it out. I don't mind whether the advice is for the Query Builder or for code.

Thanks in advance!

Re: Combining Columns

sbb — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 06:07:17 GMT

Have a look at using the CATT function (new with SAS 9) with assigning a new SAS CHARACTER type variable in a DATA step (after declaring a LENGTH statement for the new variable).

Scott Barry
SBBWorks, Inc.

Re: Combining Columns

deleted_user — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 06:17:07 GMT

I just worked it out. For anyones' future reference I used:

TRIM(Column A)||' '||TRIM(Column B)

Thanks for your response Scott.

Re: Combining Columns

sbb — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:50:43 GMT

Glad to see you worked it out. The CATX function in SAS 9 can simplify your code somewhat by handling the first variable TRIM (the second is unnecessary) and by coding your separator string as argument1 presented to CATX.

Scott