Replacing date values displayed as 'E'

[merveayibogan]

I have a date variable with the YYMMDDN8. format. However, some values are displayed as E. From the frequency table, I understand that these are the missing values. So I want to replace them with December 31, 2023.  This is how the data looks. I tried to replace Es, .s, it didn't work.

DATA Zeynep.ccmxpfadjusted;
SET Zeynep.ccmxpf_lnkused;
IF ULINKENDDT = .......... THEN ULINKENDDT =..........; 
RUN;

How should i proceed ? Many thanks

[Kurt_Bremser · Accepted solution]

The "E" is most probably caused by a setting of the MISSING system option. It only affects the display of the value, in code it is always represented by a dot. So code it like this:

if ulinkenddt = . then ulinkenddt = '31dec2023'd;

or

ulinkenddt = coalesce(ulinkenddt,'31dec2023'd);

as the COALESCE function will return the first non-missing argument.

[Astounding]

The coalesce function would work, as @Kurt_Bremser suggested.  You could also write an IF/THEN statement as you suggested, along these lines:

IF ULINKENDDT <= .Z THEN ULINKENDDT = '31dec2023'd; 

[Tom]

If the value is special missing .E then it will DISPLAY as just an E.

To enter a date constant you need to use a string that the DATE informat can understand.  It does not matter what display format you have attached to the variable that contains date values.

So you should use this code to change .E to 31DEC2023.

IF ULINKENDDT = .E THEN ULINKENDDT = '31DEC2023'd ;