topic Re: Error persists: changing character to numeric in SAS Procedures

Error persists: changing character to numeric

Sapkota — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 17:56:36 GMT

Hi,

I am merging two datasets and one of them is in character format.

I applied few SAS procedures to change the character to number value before merging

but when I merge it still says 'Error: variable has been defined as both character and numeric'.

Here is what I tried, but with both of these I still get the error messages:

data temp1; set temp;

var1_n = var1*1;

var2_n=var2*1;

va3_n=var3*1;

run;

data temp1; set temp;

var1_n = input(var1, 3.);

var2_n = input (var2, 3.);

var3_n = input (var3, 3.);

run;

Any help and will be appreciated. Thanks

Re: Error persists: changing character to numeric

Hima — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 18:06:01 GMT

DATA HAVE;
INPUT ID $;
DATALINES;
1
2
3
4
;
RUN;

PROC CONTENTS DATA=HAVE; RUN;

DATA WANT;
SET HAVE;
ID_NEW=INPUT(ID,3.);
RUN;

PROC CONTENTS DATA=WANT; RUN;

Re: Error persists: changing character to numeric

Hima — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 18:11:07 GMT

what are you trying to merge?

Re: Error persists: changing character to numeric

ballardw — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 19:45:34 GMT

If you have more than the three variables shown you may be having issues with one of them.

You don't show any merging code so it is a tad hard to give pointers where to look.

Re: Error persists: changing character to numeric

Sapkota — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 20:19:49 GMT

Thanks. Here is the merging code I used. Please note that the dataset 'chemicals' already has numerical values. Its only the dataset 'temp1' where values need to be converted to numeric.

data merged;

merge temp1 (in=x) chemicals;

by lab_id;

if x;

run;

Re: Error persists: changing character to numeric

Sapkota — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 20:21:17 GMT

I am trying to merge two different datasets of chemicals that have numeric values. Both these datasets have a common variable lab_id.

Re: Error persists: changing character to numeric

ballardw — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 22:39:58 GMT

I think it is time to run proc contents on both temp and chemicals. Look for the same variable name but different data type. That would be your culprit(s).

Re: Error persists: changing character to numeric

Sapkota — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 22:51:59 GMT

Yes, running proc content helped in knowing the numeric and character variables. What was coming on the way of the merger was the persistence of the character variable after the new numeric variable were created. I dropped the character variables and that yielded to the merger. Thanks

Re: Error persists: changing character to numeric

ballardw — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 22:56:03 GMT

You could also just rename them on the merge

data example

merge set1 (rename=(var1=CharVar1))

set2

;

run;

As an example if var1 was a variable with different types.

Re: Error persists: changing character to numeric

Sapkota — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 22:59:16 GMT

That is a good option. Thanks!