Date:         Fri, 14 Dec 2001 03:58:43 GMT
Reply-To:     Paul Choate <pchoate@JPS.NET>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Paul Choate <pchoate@JPS.NET>
Organization: EarthLink Inc. -- http://www.EarthLink.net
Subject:      Re: Excel Import
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Thanks, but I looked in Excel and don't see a way to "defined as such in
the xl sheet."  The data within an Excel text cell/column doesn't have a
width aasociated with it as far as I can tell.

I know I can put in an attributes definition before the set statement of a
datastep, etc.   But I want a general solution for any spreadsheet that I
use as a datasource.  HELP!

Droogendyk Bill wrote:

> Paul;
>
> Can't answer the getnames problem ...
>
> But xl character default length seems to be defined as 255.  If it should
>
> not be, it should defined as such in the xl sheet.  If your xl sheet
> builder
> wants to fly with defaults, you are stuck!  You can change the lengths in
> a
> data step after you've read in the xl sheet.
>
> hth
>
> W.(Bill) Droogendyk
> Quality Systems
> Dofasco Inc. Hamilton ON Canada
> 905 548 7200 x3359
>
> SAS: Anything else is just a toy!
> Manage data as if it were money!
> Give Blood! Save a life!
> Appointments @ 1 888 871 7201
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Paul Choate [mailto:pchoate@JPS.NET]
> Sent: 13 December, 2001 8:40 AM
> To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: Excel import strangeness
>
> I have the same situation in V8.01, SAS imports Excel character strings
> as
> $255,
> and I can't get around it.  I'm starting to wonder if I have a default
> turned on
> in the system that I don't know about.
>
> One other thing, my GETNAMES=NO does not work.  SAS loads the first row
> as
> names
> no matter what.
>
> grrrrrrrrr
>
> Sterling Price wrote:
>
> > I came across something strange today - using the following code, I can
>
> > import an Excel file just fine on my workstation, but someone else who
> tried
> > to import it wound up with all his character fields being length 255 in
>
> SAS
> > (mine were not).
> >
> > We are using the same Excel file, Same operating system (NT 4.0), and
> the
> > same version of SAS (8.2).
> >
> > The same behavior occurs using the File->Import menu.
> >
> > Any ideas about what's going on here?
> >
> > PROC IMPORT OUT= WORK.IN1
> >             DATAFILE= "C:\ISD Training - Test Remedy Source.xls"
> >             DBMS=EXCEL2000 REPLACE;
> >      GETNAMES=YES;
> > RUN;
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Sterling Price
> >
> > **********************************************************************
> > This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential
> > and intended solely for the individual or entity to
> > whom they are addressed.  If you have received this email
> > in error destroy it immediately.
> > **********************************************************************



Paul Choate wrote:

> Hi all -
>
> I'm looking for a clean&simple way to control variable lengths during a
> data import from Excel to SAS.  The default for character variables is
> $255.
>
> If I port Excel => DBase => SAS the columns come out okay (one byte
> wider than I'd like).
>
> I'd like something like the scantype argument on proc access that not
> only reads data type, but also picks up width.
>
> Please respond to my work email (I can't get the newserver at work).
>
> pchoate@dds.ca.gov
>
> Thanks - Paul