Converting from numeric to variable

[cneed]

Hello! I am new to sas! How could I accomplish this?

Someone wants to join the Data.master file to another table using student ID. However, the studentID column in the table to be joined is a character variable. Convert the numeric student ID variable in the master file to be a character variable. Write this new file to the work library.

Data.master screenshot:

Thanks!

[hashman]

@cneed:

This will work:

proc sql ;                                                                                                                                       
  create table converted as select input (studentid, best.) as studentid, * from have ;                                                          
quit ;

However, you will get the warning:

WARNING: Variable studentid already exists on file WORK.CONVERTED.

This will work, too - but you will not get the warning:

proc sql ;                                                                                                                                       
  create table converted (drop=_id) as select input (_id, best.) as studentid, * from have (rename=studentid=_id) ;                              
quit ; 

Kind regards

Paul D.

[novinosrin]

I like the smart REnaming upfront and make the select * work. 

Tell you what, up until this point I have been so lazy and relying on FEEDBACK NOEXEC options to copy paste the expanded SELECT clause written to the LOG. Hmm, i will keep in mind to copy the new idea.

proc sql feedback noexec;
select *
from sashelp.class;
quit;

[Patrick · Accepted solution]

Using a SAS data step:

data want;
  set data.master(rename=(studentID=studentIDNum));
  studentID=put(studentIDNum,z5.);
  drop studentIDNum;
run;