how to convert character date variable having format yyyy-mm into numeric date variable

[gowtham112]

Hi,

I have a column Named  "Date" which is in format YYYY-MM  and they are stored in character value .

I want to convert them into numeric format so that I can create a new variable called "Newdate" to store SAS date value.

Thanks in Advance.

[Kurt_Bremser]

You have to make a decision which day to use for an incomplete date.

If that should be the first of the month, do

newdate = input(date !! '-01',yymmdd10.);
format newdate yymmddd10.;

[gowtham112]

Hi  KurtBremser,

Thank you very much for your  response!!!  it worked perfectly I really appreciate your help 

Again, thanks so much!!

Best,

Gowtham

[RW9]

Dates are stored as number of days since a given time.  So to convert your text into a number SAS needs to be able to calculate how many days since that date there are, and without day value it cannot do this, hence it cannot convert to numeric date.  The same thing happens with times, so seconds since.  Give it a default number, then you can always apply a format - i.e. change the display of the underlying data - to YYYY-MM.

[gowtham112]

Hi RW9,

This is great!!!
Thank you so much!!!
I really appreciate your help

Again, thanks so much!!