Date:         Mon, 3 Jun 1996 17:47:17 GMT
Reply-To:     Jim Arnow <arnow@LIOUVILLE.COLORADO.EDU>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU>
From:         Jim Arnow <arnow@LIOUVILLE.COLORADO.EDU>
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Subject:      character <-> numeric conversion

I have inherited a number of SAS data files, and I trying to merge
them into one file.  My problem is that the common field (ID #) is in
different formats in some of the files.  In some, the ID #s are
numeric.  In others, the IDs are formatted as character fields of
length 9.  (The ID #s are basically Social Security numbers.)
 
Is there an easy way to turn either the character variables into
numeric, or vice versa?  Which is better, numeric or character?
 
Thanks,
--
Jim Arnow
arnow@colorado.edu      (303) 492-3462
Program in Applied Mathematics, CB 526
University of Colorado, Boulder  80309