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hhchenfx
Barite | Level 11

Hello Everyone,

 

I have text variable and I want to create new variable (new_char_var) that only keep the first, say 5, character.

So the new variable will have value: 

vari1

abcdv

Can you help me to get it?

I try to do substring but doesnt work.

Thank you so much.

HHC

 

data have;
input  var1 $;
datalines;
vari1234
abcdv123
;run;
1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
PGStats
Opal | Level 21

substr() does work...

 

data have;
input  var1 $;
newValue = substr(var1,1,5);
datalines;
vari1234
abcdv123
;
PG

View solution in original post

4 REPLIES 4
PGStats
Opal | Level 21

substr() does work...

 

data have;
input  var1 $;
newValue = substr(var1,1,5);
datalines;
vari1234
abcdv123
;
PG
Astounding
PROC Star

While SUBSTR does work, it isn't needed when you want only the beginning of a character string:

 

data want;

set have;

length new_char_var $ 5;

new_char_var = var1;

run;

Kurt_Bremser
Super User

Show your code (and log) where substr "didn't work".


@hhchenfx wrote:

Hello Everyone,

 

I have text variable and I want to create new variable (new_char_var) that only keep the first, say 5, character.

So the new variable will have value: 

vari1

abcdv

Can you help me to get it?

I try to do substring but doesnt work.

Thank you so much.

HHC

 

data have;
input  var1 $;
datalines;
vari1234
abcdv123
;run;

 

Ksharp
Super User

If I understood what you mean.

 

data have;
input  var1 $;
new=scan(var1,1, ,'ka');
datalines;
vari1234
abcdv123
;
run;

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