Converting dates from a character format to a date format

[epigrad]

I've got a data set where, for one reason or another, one of the date variables is coming in as a character variable. Missing variables are blank, dates are present as things like 01-Nov-08. I need these in the proper SAS days-since-1/1/1960 format.

I've tried using %sysfunc, but I can't seem to get it to cooperate. Any chance someone can point me in the right direction?

[Ksharp · Accepted solution]

You can use function input to get that.

num_date=input(char_date,date12.);

format num_date mmddyy12.;

Ksharp

[andy_wk]

Hi Ksharp,

Is it the only way to do?

Cheers.

[ballardw]

You don't say how you are reading the data but when you indicate " for one reason or another, one of the date variables is coming in as a character variable" I suspect proc import.

Proc Import uses lots of defaults and limited information from the source data. You might be able to write a datastep to read the data source and apply an informat at that time, but without details of the source data this is a guess.

[Ksharp]

What do you mean ?

proc format;

invalue $fmt

'Nov'=11

'Dec'=12

.........

;

run;

num_date=mdy(

input(scan(char_date,'-',2),$fmt.),

input(scan(char_date,'-',1),best8.),

input(scan(char_date,'-',-1),best8.);