How to change formats/datatyps?

[Hansmuffs]

Hey,

I want to change a datetyp of column and I'm not sure if this is the correct way to do this. I mean my solution works, but is their a possibility to define the new datatyp directly in the attrib function? Maybe with the informat definition. I'm not really sure what informat is and when I should use this.

data inputData;
	input	
		name 	$
		amount	$;
	datalines;
		Peter 100
		Kai 25
	;
run;

data outputData;
	attrib	
		name 	format = $10.
		amount  format = $10.
		/* amount informat = $10. format 10.*/
	;
	set inputData;
	amount_tmp = input(amount, 10.);
	drop amount;
	rename amount_tmp = amount;
run;

Thanks 

Hans

[Astounding]

You do need to jump through the drop/rename hoop. However, the program works without the attrib statement. That can be removed.

Also note, the top DATA step assigns AMOUNT a length of $8. If that's the case (and I realize your post might be a simplification of your actual program), your solution still works. But you need to read only 8 characters not 10 in the formula for AMOUNT_TMP.

[Hansmuffs]

I need to change datatype from character to numeric. 

When I change dataype from format 10. to 8. maybe when I have long numbers 12345678910 some numbers at the end will be cut?!

data outputData_V3;
	set inputData;
	amount = input(amount, 8.);
	amount_final = input(amount, 8.);
	drop amount;
	rename amount_final = amount;
run;

I don't know how to change the datatyp without drop and rename because as you can see amount = input(amount, 8.) will not create a numeric value it is still character. But the amount_final is in numeric format.

[Astounding]

OK, let's go back to your original program, with ATTRIB cut out:

data inputData;
	input	
		name 	$
		amount	$;
	datalines;
Peter 100
Kai 25
;

data outputData;
	set inputData;
	amount_tmp = input(amount, 10.);
	drop amount;
	rename amount_tmp = amount;
run;

This should work.  Yes, this never works:  amount = input(amount, 10.);

The top DATA step gives AMOUNT a length of $8.  It could never store "1234567890".  In real life, that may not be how AMOUNT got created, so it may actually have a longer length.  Within the INPUT function, use whatever length is actually assigned to AMOUNT.

[andreas_lds]

Why is it necessary to change the variable type? I would fix the importing process. If that can't be done, using the input-function is the way to go.