How to convert inches into numeric ?

[NiravC]

Hi All,

I have one column.

There is some value like 1",2",1/2",1 1/2".......

Can anyone explain how to convert this value in numeric ?

Thank you,

Nirav

[Sajid01]

Hello
Simple strip of the " and convert it to number. Use substr function.

[AMSAS]

Here's a solution using regular expression matching 

data got ;
	input inches $6. ;
cards ;
1"
2"
1/2"
1 1/2"
2"
3 3/4"
;

data want ;
	retain regExpID ;
	if _n_=1 then do ;
		/* Create regular expression to search for i n/d format e.g. 1, 1/2 or 2 1/2 */
		regExpID=prxparse("/(\d \d\/\d)|(\d\/\d)|(\d)/") ;
		put regExpID= ;
	end ;
	set got ;
	int=0 ;
	numerator=0 ;
	denominator=0 ;
	/* does the input string inches fit the formats */
	position=prxmatch(regExpID, inches);
	if position then do ;
		paren=prxparen(regExpID);		
		/* If the matching format is i */
		if paren=3 then do ;
			int=inputn(scan(inches,1,' /"'),"8.") ;
		end ;
		/* If the matching format is n/d */
		else if paren=2 then do ;
			numerator=inputn(scan(inches,1,' /"'),"8.") ;
			denominator=inputn(scan(inches,2,' /"'),"8.") ;
		end ;
		/* If the matching format is i n/d */
		else do ;
			int=inputn(scan(inches,1,' /"'),"8.") ;
			numerator=inputn(scan(inches,2,' /"'),"8.") ;
			denominator=inputn(scan(inches,3,' /"'),"8.") ;
			
		end ;
	end ;
	put int= numerator= denominator= ;
run ;

[AMSAS]

Slight bug in my prior code as I didn't account for more than a single digit for inches.
Need to add the * metacharacter to the regular expression definition:

regExpID=prxparse("/(\d* \d\/\d)|(\d\/\d)|(\d)/") ;

[FreelanceReinh · Accepted solution]

Hi @NiravC,

---

@NiravC wrote:

There is some value like 1",2",1/2",1 1/2".......

Can anyone explain how to convert this value in numeric ?

Do you want, e.g., 1.5 for 1 1/2"? If so, try this:

data have;
input inches_c $10.;
cards ;
1"
1/2"
1 1/2"
12 7/8"
123 13/16"
;

data want;
set have;
inches=input(resolve(cats('%sysevalf(',translate(trim(inches_c),'+',' "'),')')),32.);
run;

[NiravC]

Hi @FreelanceReinh ,

This code is very helpfull for me. Thank you for giving me this solution.

Regards,

Nirav Chaudhari

[ballardw]

---

@NiravC wrote:

Hi All,

I have one column.

There is some value like 1",2",1/2",1 1/2".......

Can anyone explain how to convert this value in numeric ?

Thank you,

Nirav

---

Do any of these "inch" measurements happen to also include feet? Such as 1' 8 1/2" ?

[FreelanceReinh]

---

@ballardw wrote:
Do any of these "inch" measurements happen to also include feet? Such as 1' 8 1/2" ?

Good point!

A slight extension of the nested-functions approach can deal with this possibility:

inches=input(resolve(cats('%sysevalf(',tranwrd(translate(trim(inches_c),'+',' "'),"'","*12"),')')),32.);