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ARKANSAS
1166.42
Numeric Data |
Numeric data can be represented in several ways. SAS can read standard numeric values without any special instructions. To read nonstandard values, SAS requires special instructions in the form of informats. Reading Different Types of Numeric Data shows standard, nonstandard, and invalid numeric data values and the special tools, if any, that are required to read them. For complete descriptions of all SAS informats, see SAS Language Reference: Dictionary.
Example of Numeric Data | Description | Solution Required to Read | |
---|---|---|---|
Standard Numeric Data | |||
23 |
input right aligned | None needed | |
23 |
input not aligned | None needed | |
23 |
input left aligned | None needed | |
00023 |
input with leading zeroes | None needed | |
23.0 |
input with decimal point | None needed | |
2.3E1 |
in E-notation, 2.30 (ss1) | None needed | |
230E-1 |
in E-notation, 230x10 (ss-1) | None needed | |
-23 |
minus sign for negative numbers | None needed | |
Nonstandard Numeric Data | |||
2 3 |
embedded blank | COMMA. or BZ. informat | |
- 23 |
embedded blank | COMMA. or BZ. informat | |
2,341 |
comma | COMMA. informat | |
(23) |
parentheses | COMMA. informat | |
C4A2 |
hexadecimal value | HEX. informat | |
1MAR90 |
date value | DATE. informat | |
Invalid Numeric Data | |||
23 - |
minus sign follows number | Put minus sign before number or solve programmatically. (table note 1) | |
.. |
double instead of single periods | Code missing values as a single period or use the ?? modifier in the INPUT statement to code any invalid input value as a missing value. | |
J23 |
not a number | Read as a character value, or edit the raw data to change it to a valid number. |
It might be possible to use the S370FZDTw.d
informat, but
positive values require the trailing plus sign (+).
Remember the following when reading numeric data:
Character Data |
Input data that you want to store in a character variable can include any character. Use the guidelines in the following table when your raw data includes leading blanks and semicolons.
If your data contains ... | then use ... | because ... | |
---|---|---|---|
leading or trailing blanks that you want to preserve | formatted input and the $CHARw. informat | list input trims leading and trailing blanks from a character value before the value is assigned to a variable. | |
semicolons in instream data | DATALINES4 or CARDS4 statements and four semicolons (;;;;) to mark the end of the data | with the normal DATALINES and CARDS statements, a semicolon in the data prematurely signals the end of the data. | |
delimiters, blank characters, or quoted strings | DSD option, with DELIMITER= option on the INFILE statement | it enables SAS to read a character value that contains a delimiter within a quoted string; it can also treat two consecutive delimiters as a missing value and remove quotation marks from character values. |
Remember the following when reading character data:
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Copyright 1999 by SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA. All rights reserved.