Error Variable *insert variable* does not match type prescribed for this list.

[twocents]

I am trying to run descriptive statistics using PROC MEANS in SAS. However I am getting that my inserted variables are not match type prescribed. Nothing I am doing is working. What am i doing wrong. Also, I get this error for all 14 variables and I am trying to run descriptive statistics on all 14 variables. 

filename winedata '/folders/myfolders/390 hw/wine.data.txt';

data wine;

infile winedata DELIMITER=',';

input iden $ Alco $ Mali $ Ash $ Alca $ Magn $ Tota $ Flav $ Nonf $ proa $ Colo $ Hue $ OD28 $ Prol $;    

TITLE 'Wine Summary Data';

run;

proc print data=wine;

run;

proc means data=wine n mean;    

by iden;

var iden Alco Mali Ash Alca Magn Tota Flav Nonf proa Colo Hue OD28 Prol;

run; 

[Tom]

You cannot take the mean of a character string.

Why did you define the variables as character in your INPUT statement if you want to use them as numbers?

[heffo]

In your imput statement you define all variables as strings. Proc means can only deal with numeric variables. Remove all the $ signs in the input statement and it should hopefully work. 

[Reeza · Accepted solution]

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@twocents wrote:

I am trying to run descriptive statistics using PROC MEANS in SAS. However I am getting that my inserted variables are not match type prescribed. Nothing I am doing is working. What am i doing wrong. Also, I get this error for all 14 variables and I am trying to run descriptive statistics on all 14 variables. 

filename winedata '/folders/myfolders/390 hw/wine.data.txt';

data wine;

infile winedata DELIMITER=',';

input iden $ Alco $ Mali $ Ash $ Alca $ Magn $ Tota $ Flav $ Nonf $ proa $ Colo $ Hue $ OD28 $ Prol $;    

TITLE 'Wine Summary Data';

run;

proc print data=wine;

run;

proc means data=wine n mean;    

by iden;

var iden Alco Mali Ash Alca Magn Tota Flav Nonf proa Colo Hue OD28 Prol;

run; 

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Please use a code box when inserting code, it makes it easier to read and copy/paste. As others have mentioned, the issue is with the $ sign, because that tells SAS to read it in as a character variable. And you can't calculate the mean on a set of characters. 

data wine;
infile winedata DELIMITER=',';
input iden $ Alco Mali Ash Alca Magn Tota Flav Nonf proa Colo Hue OD28 Prol;  
run;



TITLE 'Wine Detail Data';
proc print data=wine;
run;

TITLE 'Wine Summary Statistics';
proc means data=wine n mean;    
by iden; *is the data sorted already? If not you may get an error here as well;
var iden Alco Mali Ash Alca Magn Tota Flav Nonf proa Colo Hue OD28 Prol;
run; 

Things in read are ones I've changed or re-ordered. 

Make sure you data is sorted, otherwise your BY statement won't work properly. 

[twocents]

Thank you so much. I am still learning everything with SAS so I apologize for my formatting.