Assign character variable based on list of existing variables

[Q1983]

data have;
id1 = 'uv223';
id2 = '';
mid = 'uv223';
new_id = put(id1,id2,mid,best12.);
run;

I have a file similar to the above.  There are three possibilities for the same ID reference.  I want to assign the variable value, in this case 'uv223' to a new character variable called new_id.  In one of the id's there is no value however the other two do have the same value.  So new_id should equal 'uv223'.  As you can see I attempted to do this with a put statement but received an error

[Reeza · Accepted solution]

data have;
id1 = 'uv223';
id2 = '';
mid = 'uv223';
new_id = coalescec(id1,id2,mid) ;
run;

PUT() converts types. 

What do you want to see as the output? My guess is you want the COALESCEC() function or possibly a CAT function.

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@Q1983 wrote:

data have;
id1 = 'uv223';
id2 = '';
mid = 'uv223';
new_id = put(id1,id2,mid,best12.);
run;

I have a file similar to the above.  There are three possibilities for the same ID reference.  I want to assign the variable value, in this case 'uv223' to a new character variable called new_id.  In one of the id's there is no value however the other two do have the same value.  So new_id should equal 'uv223'.  As you can see I attempted to do this with a put statement but received an error

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