Data format change in SAS - Character to Datetime

[sfps01]

Hi there

I have a column of data like 201701011200, the format of which is character (YYYYMMDDHHMM). I'd like to transform them to datetime format and I used input() function while it didn't work. Could you guys help me solve this question?

Thank you 

[Reeza]

INPUT is correct. Post your code and explain what doesn't work means because we can't see your computer 🙂 

If you can't find the correct informat, try ANYDTDTM. 

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@sfps01 wrote:

Hi there

I have a column of data like 201701011200, the format of which is character (YYYYMMDDHHMM). I'd like to transform them to datetime format and I used input() function while it didn't work. Could you guys help me solve this question?

Thank you 

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[sfps01]

Thank you Reeza for your response. I tried input(COLUMN_NAME, datetime20.) as Datetime_trans and input(COLUMN_NAME, ANYDTDTM.) as Datetime_trans. Neither worked since the column Datetime_trans was blank after I ran my program.

[RW9 · Accepted solution]

Am sure there is an informat for it, but just can't think, so to do it by function:

data want;
  a="201701011200";
  b=dhms(input(substr(a,1,8),yymmdd8.),input(substr(a,9,2),best.),input(substr(a,11,2),best.),0);
  format b datetime.;
run;

[sfps01]

Thank you so much! Your codes works. Appreciate your help