https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/Editing-variables/m-p/7237#M38 I don't know if is this that you want:<BR /> <BR /> <BR /> data t;<BR /> length a $ 6. b $ 2.;<BR /> a="Friday";<BR /> b="ok";<BR /> output;<BR /> run;<BR /> <BR /> data z(drop= a b);<BR /> length c $ 8.;<BR /> set t;<BR /> c=cat(a,b);<BR /> run; Sun, 02 Mar 2008 21:11:39 GMT BrunoSilva 2008-03-02T21:11:39Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/Editing-variables/m-p/7236#M37 I have two variables within a single data set...both are character variables of lengths 6 and 2, respectively. I need to merge them into one character variable of length 8. I was told there was a "trick" to doing this but was left hanging. <BR /> <BR /> Can you help me?<BR /> <BR /> Thanks! Sun, 02 Mar 2008 09:23:08 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/Editing-variables/m-p/7236#M37 deleted_user 2008-03-02T09:23:08Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/Editing-variables/m-p/7237#M38 I don't know if is this that you want:<BR /> <BR /> <BR /> data t;<BR /> length a $ 6. b $ 2.;<BR /> a="Friday";<BR /> b="ok";<BR /> output;<BR /> run;<BR /> <BR /> data z(drop= a b);<BR /> length c $ 8.;<BR /> set t;<BR /> c=cat(a,b);<BR /> run; Sun, 02 Mar 2008 21:11:39 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Procedures/Editing-variables/m-p/7237#M38 BrunoSilva 2008-03-02T21:11:39Z