convert the character to numeric

[GeorgeSAS]

Hello,

why I can't convert the character m to numeric s?

data a;

m='12345678';

run;

data b;

set a;

s=put(m, $8.);

run;

Thanks

[ballardw]

PUT always creates a character variable used the way you did

Try

data b;

set a;

s= input(m, 8.);

run;

[GeorgeSAS]

thank you, but s is still a char.

[Reeza]

It shouldn't be. Double check your code and output. Was your log clean? Is S already in your dataset, you can't change a variable type if it already exists in the dataset.

data a;
m='12345678';
run;
data b;
set a;
s=input(m, 8.);
run;

proc contents data=b;
run;

Alphabetic List of Variables and Attributes

#Variable Type Len

1m Char 8

2 s Num 8

[GeorgeSAS]

I found the problem, the import excel file including special characters which make SAS function can't recginize that variable.

the special characters are something like ctrl+ enter in excel.