convert state abbreviations to full names

[klj81]

I have a data set that consists of names, addresses, state, zip, and phone number.

I am trying to convert the states from their two letter abbreviations to the full name of the state.

I tried using the stnamel function but I am not sure how to do it for multiple states;

For example, when I use

State=stnamel('PA');

put state;

State=stname ('CA')l;

put state; 

All states in the State column turn to Pennsylvania.

I am a newbie to SAS and could not find examples of this.

[Cynthia_sas]

Hi:

  You didn't show all your code or your data structure, so I'm not sure what you mean by "how to do it for multiple states" -- every row has a different state. As an example:

data state;
  length state_name $50;
  infile datalines;
  input name $ stcode $;
  state_name = stnamel(stcode);
  putlog _n_= name= stcode= state_name=;
return;
datalines;
Alan  NC
Barb  SC
Cyndi OH
Dave  DC
Eddy  WA
;
run;

Results in this in the log:

You might mean that you have multiple states for every observation? Perhaps you have something like this:

which just means you have a function call for every variable.

Hope this helps,

Cynthia

[klj81]

Thanks for the response Cynthia! 

I'll enter some of my code/data to try to explain a little better....

data customers10;

input First $ Last $ City $ State $ Zip;

datalines;

Tyler Smith Upland PA 91783

Samantha Davis Montclair NJ 07163

Michael Rodriguez Metuchen NJ 08840

David Jorge Frenso CA 93650

;

run;

I am looking to get the full name for the states like 'California' but every time I have tried the stnamel function I think I have done it incorrectly.

[ChrisBrooks · Accepted solution]

Hi @klj81  does this not work for you?

data customers10;
	length statename $50;
	input First $ Last $ City $ State $ Zip;
	statename=stnamel(state);
datalines;
Tyler Smith Upland PA 91783
Samantha Davis Montclair NJ 07163
Michael Rodriguez Metuchen NJ 08840
David Jorge Frenso CA 93650
;
run;

[ballardw]

By any chance are you having issues when the City is something like San Francisco?

Your example data step code would be reading Francisco into state and not CA.

[ballardw]

Please show your entire data step. One line of code does not indicate when a  value is assigned in relation to when it is written to a data set.

Some example input data may also be needed.

---

@klj81 wrote:

I have a data set that consists of names, addresses, state, zip, and phone number.

I am trying to convert the states from their two letter abbreviations to the full name of the state.

I tried using the stnamel function but I am not sure how to do it for multiple states;

For example, when I use

State=stnamel('PA');

put state;

State=stname ('CA')l;<= There is a typo on this line

put state; 

All states in the State column turn to Pennsylvania.

I am a newbie to SAS and could not find examples of this.

---

The code you posted also would have an error for 'CA'.