How to get the various pattern of of string

[alepage]

Hello,

Information into SAS dataset may not be entered with the same format, specially for policy number.

In the same dataset we could have those policy numbers

M49999999

P4M49999999

Or

123-4567

123A4567

So is there a way to get the various policy number parttern such as;

Cnnnnnnnn

Cncnnnnnnnn

nnnsnnnm

Nnncnnnn

Where n is numeric, c character and s is a special character such as –

[yabwon · Accepted solution]

Maybe something like this:

data have;
    input column $20.;
    datalines;
M49999999
P4M49999999
123-4567
123A4567
;
run;
data want;
set have;
from='ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ1234567890 -)(*&^%$#@!{}[]:;.,/?\|';
to  ='CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCNNNNNNNNNNSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS';
pattern=translate(upcase(column),to,from);
drop from to;
run;

[alepage]

Original as solution. I have never though about this approach

[Tom]

I don't know what it means to "get" a policy number pattern.