How to convert numeric value without format in Macro variable to actual date?

[StickyRoll]

How to convert numeric value without format in Macro variable to actual date?

I have a macro variable that stores value of "   21619".

However, as we know, it has leading space and that it is a character.

script as follows.

data a;

testdt='   21619';

run;



proc sql noprint;

select testdt into:testdt

from a;

quit;

I am trying to use &testdt. to do query in another table within the same macro but it just keeps giving me errors.

my script as follows.

PROC SQL;
CREATE TABLE usa AS
SELECT *
FROM temp.car
where batchdate <= %sysfunc(put("&testdt.",date9.));

quit;

I might have overlooked some of the important steps in converting it but what is wrong here?

[Kurt_Bremser]

If the variable batchdate is a SAS date value, then the comparison is very simple:

where batchdate <= &testdt.