changing a variable attribute

[pammers]

I am trying to merge two files into a new combined file. Both files have many of the same variables. I am getting an error message on merging that says something to the effect "variables are both character and numeric." For example, there is one variable called "extract_month." In one file it is listed as "char" and in the other "numeric".  (no idea how this happened!). I went into the attributes to change one from char to numeric but I can't change. I am only assuming this is the only problem with the merge. Any idea how to fix it? Thanks!

[Reeza]

You can't change a variable type once it exists. You can drop the variable and recreate it however as a character/numeric. 

However, it's usually easier to go back in your steps and fix that variable from the start. 

Should the variable be numeric or character is the first question? - that's a business use/knowledge question that we can't answer

Why isn't it the correct type? - import from Excel where it assumed types, or from PROC IMPORT?

Where to fix it? - Ideally in the import step but you can also fix it after the fact. 

If you do a SQL merge you can fix it in the join directly as well.

[BrunoMueller]

You have to convert one of the variables, so that both have the same type.

See http://support.sas.com/kb/24/590.html and https://blogs.sas.com/content/sgf/2017/03/28/changing-variable-type-and-variable-length-in-sas-datas...

Also check the programs that created the two datasets, maybe you can already change it there.