%DO is not as flexible as DO. Make a list and loop over an index into the list. Note: the %UNQUOTE() is because sometimes the parser can get confused by this type of syntax and treat the XYZ and %SCAN() as separate tokens. %let suffix=1 2 3 8 10; data x ;   set %do i=1 %to %sysfunc(countw(&suffix,%str( )));   %unquote(xyz%scan(&suffix,&i,%str( ))) %end;   ; run; ... View more

When you use the colon SAS uses LIST input which scans the record until the delimeter is found.  The blank in this case.  So even though you specify $10. the input still scans until the delimiter is found in column 17 and the pointer is position at col=18 for the next read.  You have age 2. (formatted input) now but you are passed the spot where you need to be. Also $10. defines the length of date which truncates the 2 extra characters in the blank delimited field. 17         data _null_; 18            infile cards column=col; 19            input id date $:10. @; 20            put date= col=; 21            input age 2.; 22            put age= col=; 23            list; 24         cards; date=12/11/1983 col=18 age=. col=20 RULE:      ----+----1----+----2----+---- 25         102 12/11/198312 date=12/11/1989 col=18 age=. col=20 26         103 12/11/198914 ... View more