character to date

[Smitha9]

I have a dataset which has characters

Start                     Stop           Date          Number

06/23/2004   12/15/2020   20030704       1234456

I want to change this to numeric date format.

For,

start and stop: mm/dd/yyyy and

Date: yyyymmdd

Number: numeric

thanks in advance.

[Tom]

If you have a string like '06/23/2004' you can convert it to an actual date using the INPUT() function with the MMDDYY10. informat specification.

If you have a number like 20,030,704 you can convert it to an actual date value by first using the PUT() function with the 8. or Z8. format specification to convert it to a string like '20030704' and then use the INPUT() function with the YYMMDD8. informat specification.

If you have date values you an attach the YYMMDDN8. format to them to have them display as strings the look like 20030704. 

If you want to convert date values to a number like 20,030,704 then first use the PUT() function with the YYMMDDN8. format and then use the INPUT() function with the 8. informat.

[Shmuel]

date  = input(start,mmddyy10.); /* start date given as char type */
format date mmddyy10.;