XML LIBNAME Engine: Convert Char 2 DateTime

[NewmanChow]

Hello,all:

When I use XML Engine to read and wirte a xml file.I found the issue.

libname test xml "xmltest.xml";
DATA a;
  X="2:2:1";
  output;
  X="3:3:1";
  output;
Run;

DATA test.a;
  set a;
run;

data b;
  set test.a;
Run;

libname test clear;

X in a is Character,X in b is DateTime.

Any options can retain the X as character in b?

[Cynthia_sas]

Is this an article or a question? If this is a question, then it doesn't belong here. Also, if this is a question, you have 2 objects named "a" -- you have the SAS dataset WORK.A and you have the TEST.A XML file that you create with the XML libname engine. In your "article" you say that "X in a is Character, X in b is DateTime". When you refer to just a, I think of WORK.A -- do you mean that X created in WORK.A is character??? Where is the rest of your article???

cynthia

PS...have you tried a LENGTH statement when you create WORK.B???

data b;

  length x $5;

  set test.a;

run;

[NewmanChow]

Hi，Cynthia：

    This is a question. Sorry,I didn't pay attention to make sure It's a Article or Querstion .Can It be modified to correct?

'X in a is Character' which 'a' is WORK.A .

I tried your advice but got a error:

ERROR: Variable x has been defined as both character and

       numeric.

Sorry , again.