Input function Help

[Kalai2008]

How to convert the variable checkname from character to numeric?

Given data

Checkname
0-1_check
1-2_check

data want ;
set have;
checkname1=input(checkname,best12.);
run;

Getting missing value(Period)

[PeterClemmensen]

A numeric variable in SAS can not contain characters.

[Astounding · Accepted solution]

Before any programming takes place, it is up to you to decide what you would like the result to be.  For example, you might decide that when CHECKNAME is "0-1_check" that CHECKNAME1 should be 1.  There is nothing that SAS does on its own to make those decisions.

With just a few possible values for CHECKNAME, it might be as simple as this:

data want;

set have;

if checkname='0-1_check' then checkname1=1;

else if checkname='1-2_check' then checkname1=2;

run;

If there are many possible values to translate, you might need to create a rule that describes the outcome, instead of a list of values.  But it all starts with you making the decisions about what the result should look like.

[Kalai2008]

You are Right, (but it is already created by another user.)

Thank you , I will try renaming the variable.