Cat result type

[deleted_user]

Hi,

Can anybody explain me why variable b become numeric??

data bbb;
b=cat(b,'1');
run;

Thnx.

[Doc_Duke]

Since you did not provide a type for b in it's first use [cat(b,'1')], SAS assumed it was numeric. Numeric variables are legitimate arguments to the CAT function. The documentation states that it does not provide an error or warning on conversion.