How to transform 30Sep2011 to read as just a numeric 201109?

[Mirisage]

/*Hi SAS forum,

I have a data set like this.*/

data t;

input open_date date9. age;

cards;

30Sep2011 7

01Dec2014 2

;

run;

/*Using the above, I have to create a numeric variable named “Date_as_a_Value” like below. 

Variable “Date_as_a_Value” should not be a date value and has to be a “just Nemeric” (becaue I want to use “Date_as_a_Value” for a further several numeric multiplications etc.).

Date_as_a_Value

201109  /*instead of 30Sep2011*/

201412  /*instead of 01Dec2014*/

*/

/*My approach:*/

/*"Open_date" is Displaying the way I wanted, such as 201109, 201412*/

data t;

input open_date date9. age;

Format open_date YYMMN.;

cards;

30Sep2011 7

01Dec2014 2

;

run;

/*Actually I do not know how to move forward to get what I wanted, which is:

Date_as_a_Value

201109  /*instead of 30Sep2011*/

201412  /*instead of 01Dec2014*/

*/

/*Could someone help me.

Thanks

*/

[stat_sas]

data t;

input open_date :anydtdte. age;

cards;

30Sep2011 7

01Dec2014 2

;

run;

[Mirisage]

Hi stat@sas,

Thanks.

However, when I ran your code, it produced the below dataset.

open_date	age
18900	7
20058	2

But What I really wanted is like below.

Date_as_a_Value	age
201109	7
201412	2

The "Date_as_a_Value" variable should be a just numeric value like any other numeric value such as 104, or 200 or 1 or 7 or any other numeric number that you can think of.

Thanks

Mirisa

[stat_sas · Accepted solution]

This will generate new_date variable containing open_date as numeric.

data t;
input open_date :anydtdte. age;
new_date=input(put(open_date,YYMMN.),best.);
cards;
30Sep2011 7
01Dec2014 2
;

run;

proc print data=t;
run;

[Mirisage]

Hi stat@sas,

Your suggestion worked very well and many thanks.

For my learning, I would like to ask 2 questions from your code (permitting your time).

data t;

input open_date :anydtdte. age;

new_date=input(put(open_date,YYMMN.),best.);

cards;

30Sep2011 7

01Dec2014 2

;

run;

1.    1. In yellow place above, you have used “anydtdte.” as the informat of variable “open_date”. But we know by looking at the data set, this informat is date9.

So, is there any special reason to use :anydtdte. instead of date9. and  what “anydtdte.” is really doing?

2.    2. when you convert the character var to numeric, you have used green color “numeric informat” called "best.". But we know that informat is 6. because our convered character var always have 6 characters such as 201109, 201412. Is there any special reason to use best. instead of 6.

Thanks

Mirisa

[stat_sas]

If date values are not following a consistent pattern then using ANYDTDTE. informat makes the life easier but in your problem date9. will do the same.

Best. chooses the best notation. Please consult SAS documentation to have more info.

[Mirisage]

Thanks again stat@sas for this knowledge.

Mirisa