Convert string variable YYYYMMDDHHMM to datetime format

[amateur_expert]

I have been trying to convert a string variable that consists of date and time to a SAS datetime format. 

Can you recommend a method?

DATA test;

      input date $16.;

      datalines;

      202203020719

      202203030922

      202203070757

;

RUN;

DATA test2;

      SET test;

      new_date = put(input(substr(date, 1, 8), yymmdd8.), date9.);

      new_time = substr(date, 9, 4);

      time_numeric = input(substr(new_time,1,2) !! ':' !! substr(new_time,3,2),time5.);

      hr = input(substr(new_time,1,2),2.) ;

      min = input(substr(new_time,3,2),2.) ;

      sec = 00;

      *sasdt = dhms(new_date, hr, min, sec); /*This line of code does not work*/

run;

[PaigeMiller · Accepted solution]

Use the proper informat and the INPUT function. There are several informats that might work including B8601DJ 

data want;
    set test;
    num_date_time=input(date,b8601dj12.);
    format num_date_time datetime16.;
run;

Hint: Always use built in SAS functions (in this case INPUT with the proper informat) to work with dates and date/times. Don't try to create your own.

Hint 2: Date/time values should not have a variable name of DATE which indicates it is a date value and not a date time value.