length mob DQ_6 $20.;
Does this mean putting both mob and DQ_6 into format of length 20 ?
Length will limit the number of characters stored. If another format is not defined those variables will default to a $20 display format. Character variables typically default to the length. Numeric variables default to BEST, usually Best12. and has nothing to do with the length.
A Format assignment can override that default format at any point.
The $20 applies to both of the variables preceding it.
It's not exactly a format (which is usually intended to tell SAS how to display a value) - as a LENGTH statement, it tells SAS to store the data in mob and in DQ_6 as strings of length 20 characters.
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