format to convert nueric to character

[rk7]

Hi I have a problem converting numeric to character using put statement . It doesn't gets converted and displays error. can u pls tell me what format to use to convert numeric to character and also give the list of all formats and informants

[Astounding · Accepted solution]

If you want help with the proper syntax, you will need to show the log from what you have tried.

Here is an example of the most common error when converting from numeric to character:

data want;

set have;

var = put(var, z5.);

run;

The PUT function really works .... it converts the value of VAR to a character string.  However, you can't store the character string in VAR, since VAR is already defined as numeric.  The PUT function cannot change an existing variable from being numeric to being character.  Instead, you need to create a new variable:

newvar = put(var, z5.);

That may or may not be your error, but it is a very common error.  

As for a list of all formats and informats ... there are hundreds of them.  You will have to search the documentation for those, although this is a decent starting point:

http://documentation.sas.com/?docsetId=allprodslang&docsetTarget=syntaxByType-format.htm&docsetVersi...

You won't need to know about informats, since they don't convert from numeric (only from character).

[PaigeMiller]

In addition to what Astounding said, formats do not convert variables from numeric to character. Formats DISPLAY (not convert) numeric variables as character. Applying a format to a numeric variable means that the variable remains numeric, but may be displayed as a set of characters.

As @Astounding points out, the PUT statement can create a new variable with a new name which is a different type.

[rk7]

can we use the converted variable as character in further statements

[rk7]

1 OPTIONS NONOTES NOSTIMER NOSOURCE NOSYNTAXCHECK;

61

62 data stars;

63 input sbp dbp @@;

64 length sbp_chk dbp_chk 4.;

65 sbp_chk= put(sbp,3.);

66 dbp_chk= put(dbp,3.);

67 if sbp>120 then

68 substr(sbp_chk, 4, 1)='*';

_

356

ERROR: Argument to SUBSTR must be character.

NOTE 356-185: The SUBSTR pseudo-variable function does not allow character constants, expressions, or numeric constants for the

first argument.

69 if dbp>80 then

70 substr(dbp_chk, 4, 1)='*';

_

356

ERROR: Argument to SUBSTR must be character.

NOTE 356-185: The SUBSTR pseudo-variable function does not allow character constants, expressions, or numeric constants for the

first argument.

71 datalines;

NOTE: Character values have been converted to numeric values at the places given by: (Line):(Column).

65:11 66:11

NOTE: The SAS System stopped processing this step because of errors.

WARNING: The data set WORK.STARS may be incomplete. When this step was stopped there were 0 observations and 4 variables.

WARNING: Data set WORK.STARS was not replaced because this step was stopped.

NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):

real time 0.00 seconds

cpu time 0.00 seconds

73 ;

74 run;

75

76 proc printto print='/folders/myfolders/listoutputs/f3_1stars.lst' new;

77 run;

NOTE: PROCEDURE PRINTTO used (Total process time):

real time 0.04 seconds

cpu time 0.03 seconds

78

79 proc print ;

80 run;

NOTE: There were 3 observations read from the data set WORK.STARS.

NOTE: The PROCEDURE PRINT printed page 3.

NOTE: PROCEDURE PRINT used (Total process time):

real time 0.05 seconds

cpu time 0.05 seconds

81

82 OPTIONS NONOTES NOSTIMER NOSOURCE NOSYNTAXCHECK;

95

[Astounding]

Your LENGTH statement is defining the new variables as numeric, when you need them to be character.  Try it this way:

length sbp_chk dbp_chk $4;

[rk7]

Thanks