How to remove last character in the string if it is a '+'

[ahhh]

Hi,

I have a variable 'name' like this -

data have;
input name $30. ;
datalines;
aaaaa+
bbb+aa+
dd+cc
fff+aa+dd+
gg+d
;
run;

I need the last character in the string to be removed only if it is a '+'. Some observations don't end in a '+' and those should be left as is. Also the '+' in other positions in the variable should be left as is, only if it is in the last position, it needs to be remove. How do I do this? Any advice is appreciated!

This is how I want it to look:

Name

aaaaa 
bbb+aa 
dd+cc 
fff+aa+dd
gg+d

Thanks!

[rajeshalwayswel]

data have;
input name $30. ;
a=compress(name,' ','ka');
datalines;
aaaaa+
bbb+aa+
dd+cc
fff+aa+dd+
gg+d
;
run;

by using compress function with keep only alphabetics we can remove '+' from the given data

[ahhh]

Thanks! But, I would still like to keep the '+' in the middle. Only if the string ends with a '+' , only that '+' needs to be removed. Other '+'s should be left as is...

[rajeshalwayswel]

data have;
input name $30. ;
if substr(reverse(strip(name)),1,1)='+' then a=reverse(substr(reverse(strip(name)),2));
else a=name;
datalines;
aaaaa+
bbb+aa+
dd+cc
fff+aa+dd+
gg+d
;
run;

[Kurt_Bremser · Accepted solution]

Alternative:

data want;
set have;
if substr(name,length(name),1) = '+' then name = substr(name,1,length(name)-1);
run;

[Ksharp]

data have;
input name $30. ;
want=prxchange('s/\++$//',1,strip(name));
datalines;
aaaaa+
bbb+aa+
dd+cc
fff+aa+dd+
gg+d
;
run;

[ahhh]

Thank you!

[ahhh]

Thank you!

[ahhh]

Thanks everyone! it worked!

[rajeshalwayswel]

Hi,

I'm wondering how it works can you please explain 

prxchange function.

 Thanks,

Rajesh