Is there a difference between the two LENGTH statements below?
/*1st LENGTH statement*/
length myvar $ 12;
/*2nd LENGTH statement*/
length myvar $12.;
They both do the same thing. Spacing is flexible in most places in SAS programs, so the space after the dollar sign is optional. However, the LENGTH statement does not require a dot after the length (but the FORMAT statement does). So adding the dot doesn't hurt anything but it makes you appear less knowledgeable ... it announces that you thought the dot was required when it is not.
They both do the same thing. Spacing is flexible in most places in SAS programs, so the space after the dollar sign is optional. However, the LENGTH statement does not require a dot after the length (but the FORMAT statement does). So adding the dot doesn't hurt anything but it makes you appear less knowledgeable ... it announces that you thought the dot was required when it is not.
Thank you.
Don't miss out on SAS Innovate - Register now for the FREE Livestream!
Can't make it to Vegas? No problem! Watch our general sessions LIVE or on-demand starting April 17th. Hear from SAS execs, best-selling author Adam Grant, Hot Ones host Sean Evans, top tech journalist Kara Swisher, AI expert Cassie Kozyrkov, and the mind-blowing dance crew iLuminate! Plus, get access to over 20 breakout sessions.
Learn how use the CAT functions in SAS to join values from multiple variables into a single value.
Find more tutorials on the SAS Users YouTube channel.