SAS 9.4 Language Reference, 3rd Edition

Types of Data

Definitions

data values

are character or numeric values.

numeric value

contains only numbers, and sometimes a decimal point, a minus sign, or both. When

they are read into a SAS data set, numeric values are stored in the floating-point

format native to the operating environment. Nonstandard numeric values can contain

other characters as numbers; you can use formatted input to enable SAS to read

them.

character value

is a sequence of characters.

standard data

are character or numeric values that can be read with list, column, formatted, or

named input. Examples of standard data include:

• ARKANSAS

• 1166.42

nonstandard data

is data that can be read only with the aid of informats. Examples of nonstandard data

include numeric values that contain commas, dollar signs, or blanks; date and time

values; and hexadecimal and binary values.

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. Table 19.1 on page 409 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 Formats

and Informats: Reference.

Table 19.1 Reading Different Types of Numeric Data

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

Types of Data 409

Example of Numeric Data Description

Solution Required to

Read

00023

input with leading zeros 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.

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.

Remember the following rules for reading numeric data:

• Parentheses or a minus sign preceding the number (without an intervening blank)

indicates a negative value.

1

It might be possible to use the S370FZDTw.d informat, but positive values require the trailing plus sign (+).

410 Chapter 19 • Reading Raw Data