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Amalik
Calcite | Level 5

Hi,

I have following data;

permnodate
11/31/2008
21/31/2008
31/31/2008
12/29/2008
22/29/2008
3

2/29/2008

I am using following code,

data tmp1.firstandlastdates;
set tmp1.finaluse(keep=permno date);
by permno; /*finaluse is always sorted by permno date*/
retain firstdate;
date=intnx('month', date, 1)-1;
if first.permno then firstdate=date;
if last.permno then do;
lastdate=date;
output;
end;
run;

The results I am getting is in this form;

permnodatefirstdatelastdate
11/31/20081756217562
21/31/20081756217562
31/31/20081756217562
12/29/20081756217562
22/29/20081756217562
32/29/20081756217562

 

As you can see, the first and lastdates are not in date format but rather in some other form. What can be causing this?

1 REPLY 1
Reeza
Super User

They are dates you haven't applied a format yet. 

 

SAS stores dates as the number of days from January 1, 1960. 

 

Add a FORMAT statement to apply formats to your dates and they'll show up as desired.

 

format firstdate yymmddd10. lastdate date9.;

@Amalik wrote:

Hi,

I have following data;

permno date
1 1/31/2008
2 1/31/2008
3 1/31/2008
1 2/29/2008
2 2/29/2008
3

2/29/2008

I am using following code,

data tmp1.firstandlastdates;
set tmp1.finaluse(keep=permno date);
by permno; /*finaluse is always sorted by permno date*/
retain firstdate;
date=intnx('month', date, 1)-1;
if first.permno then firstdate=date;
if last.permno then do;
lastdate=date;
output;
end;
run;

The results I am getting is in this form;

permno date firstdate lastdate
1 1/31/2008 17562 17562
2 1/31/2008 17562 17562
3 1/31/2008 17562 17562
1 2/29/2008 17562 17562
2 2/29/2008 17562 17562
3 2/29/2008 17562 17562

 

As you can see, the first and lastdates are not in date format but rather in some other form. What can be causing this?


 

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