Numeric data

[ren2010]

Hi,

I have a dataset with a numeric variable  with informat and format of 9.This numeric field has date value as below:

date_var

20051020

I tried to read in the variable in a Data step and change the format  of date_var to mmddyy10. and  created the dataset,but when I opened  the dataset  the value of date_var is showing in bestw format.

ie in my output dataset I am seeing the value of date_var as 20051020 instead of 10/20/2005.

I have also noticed in the log that there was a message when I opened the output dataset ,ie : Error in Format,bestw used instead.

Any idea why this is happening?

Please help.

Thanks in advance.

[art297]

It sounds like you read your dates as numbers.  Thus, you have to use the input and put functions to convert them to date values.  E.g.:

data have;

  input date_var;

  cards;

20051020

;

data want;

  set have;

  format date_var mmddyy10.;

  date_var=input(put(date_var,z8.),yymmdd8.);

run;

[ren2010]

Thanks Art297.