Reading period from a delimited file using Char$ informat

[AshokDatti]

Hi Everyone,

I want to read a pipe-delimited file which consists of some values as dots.

Ex : Var1|Var2|Var3
         a   |b     |c
         d   |.      |e

         .    |f      |g

I have written the following program

data dummy;

infile "path\file.csv" dsd dlm="|" truncover LRECL=32767;

input var1 $char10. var2 $char10. var3 $char10.;

if _n_ = 1 then delete;

run;

But it is not working as expected. Can anyone please help me out. $char is considering default delimter as space. Can't we provide our own delimter?

[Ksharp · Accepted solution]

data dummy;
infile cards dlm='|';
input var1 : $char10. var2 : $char10. var3 : $char10.;
if _n_ = 1 then delete;
cards;
 Var1|Var2|Var3
         a   |b     |c
         d   |.      |e
         .    |f      |g
;
run;

Ksharp

[AshokDatti]

Thank You

[data_null__]

Your input statement is using "Formatted Input" (look it up).  Formatted Input is incompatible with delimited data.  You need to use "List Input" which is compatible.  You can use an informat with list input by using the : modifier.

Something like this.  Notice that $CHAR preserves leading spaces and read . as .;  You might like $F10.  which will read . as blank and left justify the values.

data dummy;
   infile cards dsd dlm="|" truncover;* LRECL=32767;
   input (var1-var3)(:$char10.);
   cards;
Var1|Var2|Var3
   a   |b     |c
   d   |.      |e
   .    |f      |g
;;;;
   run;
data dummy2;
   infile cards dsd dlm="|" truncover;* LRECL=32767;
   input (var1-var3)(:$10.);
   cards;
Var1|Var2|Var3
   a   |b     |c
   d   |.      |e
   .    |f      |g
;;;;
   run;