topic Re: import data with both character and numeric type in SAS Procedures

import data with both character and numeric type

comeon2012 — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 13:43:47 GMT

harHi community,

I am at the beginning stage of learning SAS and I have a problem when I import data from Excel to SAS.

the first 5 obs. of variable DS Code in Excel file 1

DS Code

321767

982616

27734K

13811D

321768

when I imported to SAS, problem arose and obs. mixed by number and letter are missing like below and the type of this variable is numeric with format BEST12.

DS Code

321767

982616

321768

the first 5 obs. of variable DS Code in Excel file 2

DS Code

53546D

53677Q

27501K

932726

945857

when I imported to SAS, it seems ok and the type of this variable is character with format $6.

DS Code

53546D

53677Q

27501K

932726

945857

My question is that:

Can I avoid the missing values and unify the type (It should be character in my case) when I import data from Excel using Import Wizard no matter the first obs is only numbers or mixed with letter? I need to combine the two SAS files together so the variable type should be consistent. Thanks.

Re: import data with both character and numeric type

ChrisSelley — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 13:56:15 GMT

You need to use the option MIXED=YES in the import

Re: import data with both character and numeric type

ballardw — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 14:34:11 GMT

SAS will look at the first 20 rows of data and determine the data type by the majority of values for each column by default when importing from XLS.

Re: import data with both character and numeric type

Haikuo — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 16:47:33 GMT

And if 20 row is not sufficient to include both character or number, then increase it:

GUESSINGROWS=

Haikuo

Re: import data with both character and numeric type

MikeZdeb — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 16:59:12 GMT

hi ... if it's an XLS file, GUESSINGROWS is not an option ... only works with delimited files (e.g. tabs, commas)

even if the value is changed in the SAS Registry, it has no effect if you start with an XLS file

Re: import data with both character and numeric type

Haikuo — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 17:04:48 GMT

Good to know that. Since it worked for CSV file for me, I took it for granted it also works for xls. Thanks, Mike.

Haikuo

Re: import data with both character and numeric type

p12937 — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 12:28:03 GMT

we had this problem and changing the column format in excel from Generic to Text resolved it.

Re: import data with both character and numeric type

comeon2012 — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 00:22:26 GMT

Thanks p12937

A friend also advised me to insert a row under the variable title row in Excel/CSV. If you want to keep a variable as character, just put a character value such as "blank" in the inserted row under that variable name(i.e. the first obs.). While if you want to keep a variable as numberic, just put a numeric value like "1234" in the inserted row under that variable name(i.e. the first obs.). The type of first obs. will decide the type in SAS. When the data is imported to SAS, you can delete the inserted row.