Replace a Space with a Dash

[Lost_Gary]

This might be easy, but I keep getting hung up on this.  I am trying to replace a space with a dash within an address field.  For instance, the address is listed as 12 345 main street.  I am trying to get it to add a dash, but only in the first space i.e. 12-345 main street.  

I appreciate the assistance.

[novinosrin · Accepted solution]

 
data w;
k='12 345 main street.';
substr(k,index(k,' '),1)='-';
run;

[Lost_Gary]

Brilliant.  Thank you.  

[art297]

While you've marked this question as solved, unless all of your addresses have that pattern of numbers, I think you will be exchanging a number of spaces for hyphens where you don't really want to.

I'd suggest using pattern matching. E.g.,

data have;
  address='12 345 main street.';
  output;
  address='345 main street.';
  output;
run;

data want;
  set have;
  address = prxchange('s/(\d+) (\d+)/$1-$2/', -1, address);
run;

Art, CEO, AnalystFinder.com

[Lost_Gary]

ooh, I like the efficiency in that coding and also learning different ways.  So a thumbs up for this method as well.  

The problem with addresses that I am finding, is the scenario of the address '345 1st avenue' as '345-1st avenue' would be inaccurate (for this scenario).  So, my less than efficient solution was to create different 'rules' to isolate the scenarios in which the 'substr' function works better to replace some of the spaces.  I know what i am doing isn't perfect.  

[art297]

Precisely why I suggested using pattern matching. That one is easy to correct:

data have;
  address='12 345 main street.';
  output;
  address='345 main street.';
  output;
  address='345 1st avenue';
  output;
run;

data want;
  set have;
  address = prxchange('s/(\d+) (\d+) /$1-$2 /', -1, address);
run;

Art, CEO, AnalystFinder.com