SAS import text file

[scb]

I would like to import the text file, the 2nd column should be all characters. 

When i import, as the first record was numeric, the format was numeric and those records with alphabet became . ; may i know how to import the file that the 2nd columns should become characters instead of numeric?

Anyone can help? Sample file attached.

[Kurt_Bremser · Accepted solution]

data want;
infile 'have.txt' dlm=';';
input col1 $ col2 $;
run;

[scb]

I tried the file with more variables...The COL5 and COL6 was incomplete after the import...Any idea? Thanks.

data want;
infile 'D:\RenewalCSV1.txt' dlm=';';
input col1 $ col2 $ COL3 $ COL4 $ COL5 $ COL6 $;
run;

[PeterClemmensen]

When you say incomplete, do you mean truncated? 🙂 In that case use a length statement.

[Reeza]

Your text file either has more than 6 cols or the data is on a single line. 

If single line make make sure to use the trailing @@. 

[ballardw]

If you do not indicate to SAS that a character variable will exceed 8 characters that is the default length.

You may want to use an INFormat statement to indicate how to read the variable.

It would look something like this:

data want;
   infile 'D:\RenewalCSV1.txt' dlm=';';
   informat Col5 Col6 $50.
   input col1 $ col2 $ COL3 $ COL4 $ COL5 $ COL6 $;
run;

Make the size, 50 in my example, sufficient to hold the longest expected value.