Format

[WilliamB]

Hello,
In a table I have character variables of the type:

389,546,254

28,254,258

1,252,546,533

How to make this variable character, numerically, which format to use?

Thanks for your help

[PeterClemmensen · Accepted solution]

Do like this

data have;
input CharVar $20.;
datalines;
389,546,254
28,254,258
1,252,546,533
;

data want;
   set have;
   NumVar=input(CharVar, Comma20.2);
   format CharVar comma20.2;
run;

proc print data=want;run;

[Tom]

Did you really want to convert '389,546,254' into 3,895,462.54?
If not then do NOT include a decimal specification on the INFORMAT.  That is telling SAS where to place the decimal point when the input stream does not have one.

[Astounding]

This works:

numvar = input(charvar, comma15.);

You can't change the existing variable from character to numeric.  You have to assign the numeric value to a new variable.