Date:         Fri, 16 Apr 1999 11:16:53 -0400
Reply-To:     msz03@HEALTH.STATE.NY.US
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU>
From:         Mike Zdeb <msz03@HEALTH.STATE.NY.US>
Subject:      Re: substr question
Comments: To: jay.lutz@pncbank.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Hi.  You're taking a SUBSTRING of a NUMERIC variable.  Another good
question is why ZIP is length 12?  I know that one - SAS uses BEST12.
format for implicit numeric-2-character conversion.   So, since SAS uses
BEST12., 741368368 as character would be "   741368368" (3 blanks + 9
charaters = 12).  The first 5 characters of the string are "   74" = 3
blanks + 74.  Voila (or less)!
 
Mike Zdeb
NYS Department of Health
ESP Tower -  Room 1811
Albany, NY   12237
518/473-2855
 
 
 
 
Jay Lutz <jay.lutz@pncbank.com> on 04/16/99 10:54:37 AM
 
Please respond to jay.lutz@pncbank.com
 
To:   SAS-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU
cc:    (bcc: Michael S. Zdeb/BWH/DFLH/CCH/OPH/DOH)
Subject:  substr question
 
 
 
 
I have used  substr quite often without any problems.
Does anyone have a clue why zip is returning a  2 digit var rather than a 5
digit var?
 
DATA TRANSDAT;
  INFILE FILE1;
  INPUT @170 ZIPIN PD5.0  @;
  ZIP=SUBSTR(ZIPIN,1,5);
  PROC CONTENTS;
PROC PRINT;ENDSAS;
 
#    Variable    Type    Len    Pos
 -----------------------------------
 2    ZIP         Char     12      8
 1    ZIPIN       Num       8      0
            The SAS System
 
   OBS      ZIPIN      ZIP
 
     1     19021831     1
     2    741368368    74
     3    199042402    19
     4    216130399    21
     5    216130399    21
     6    216130399    21
     7    216130399    21
 
Thank you for your help!