For those of us who are anal about getting pesky notes indicating character values have been converted to numeric values you may want to include the input functions on the numval statement

numval=input(scan(charval,1),8.)*input(scan(charval,2,'*'),8.);

Richard W. Graham Senior Consultant, Technology Delivery Intellicisions Data Inc. 2000 Regency Parkway, Suite 355 Cary, NC 27511 www.intellicisions.com (919) 467-0505

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David Ward <dward@SASHELP To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU .COM> cc: (bcc: Richard Graham/Tech/Intellicisions) Sent by: Subject: Re: SAS Language "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSER V.UGA.EDU>

11/10/00 10:31 AM Please respond to David Ward

Another solution to add into the mix. Add '*1' to the end of the character value, then convert '-*' into '*-' so that you have, in effect, a product in your charcter value: 213423*-1 235255*1

Then just multiple the left side of the '*' and the right side.

data _null_; length numval 8 charval $8; infile cards; input charval $8.; charval=tranwrd(trim(charval)||'*1','-*','*-'); numval=scan(charval,1)*scan(charval,2,'*'); put numval=; cards; 70248- 45478 21838- 45780- 55454 45015 ; run;

David Ward

>Hi everyone, > >I need to import a numeric field into SAS from a flat file that I >downloaded from mainframe system. All negative numbers have the minus >signs in the back of the number instead of in front of the number. How >do I read this and convert it into a correct format? > >original Desired >70248- -70248 >45478 45478 >21838- -21838 >45780- -45780 >55454 55454 >45015 45015 > >Thank you for your help. > >Michelle Kay