How to extract characters before a special character from a string variable

[sms1891]

Hi all!

I have a data set with a bunch of IDs as string variable like eg.below. I want to delete all the characters from "(" and include only the numbers before "(" for each ID. Any help with SAS code is much appreciated.

Thanks!

ID

48 (500_82)

49 (501_82)

Want:

ID_New

48

49

[PeterClemmensen]

data have;
input ID $20.;
infile datalines dlm='';
datalines;
48 (500_82)
49 (501_82)
;

data want;
   set have;
   ID_New=substr(ID, 1, find(ID, '(')-1);
run;

[novinosrin]

If your pattern is not so consistent with some records not having the special character like the 3rd in the modified sample, the following should work

data have;
input id $20.;
cards;
48 (500_82)
49 (501_82)
40
;

data want;
set have;
if find(id,'(')>0 then want=substr(id,1,find(id,'(')-1);
else want=id;
run;

[novinosrin · Accepted solution]

Hi @sms1891  Perhaps you could try scan knowing the separator '(' would of course be the first to split the string

data have;
input id $20.;
cards;
48 (500_82)
49 (501_82)
40
;

data want;
set have;
want=scan(id,1,'(');
run;

[anamika1_]

data one;
set have;
string1=substr(id,1,2);
run;