Date:         Sun, 25 Aug 2002 19:34:19 +0000
Reply-To:     sashole@bellsouth.net
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Paul Dorfman <paul_dorfman@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Ascii to multipunch column binary
Comments: To: pkaria@YAHOO.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

----Original Message Follows----
From: Peter <pkaria@YAHOO.COM>
Reply-To: Peter <pkaria@YAHOO.COM>
To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Ascii to multipunch column binary
Date: Sat, 24 Aug 2002 23:39:31 -0700

Hi,

We are a data capturing firm, and received a request from a prospect
to deliver them data in multipunch column binary format. Till Friday,
I thought I could deliver data to my client in any format they want.
But, this has been a big twister... I have been reading about this
format since Friday afternoon, and am not sure how do I convert data
that we would capture in ASCII format to multipunch column binary
format.

The job involves capturing data from survey forms, so I can understand
now why they want it in multipunch format. I can write any kind of
programs to manipulate/convert the data on a Windows platform. But,
can somebody tell me how to convert ascii data to column binary
format... and how to cross check that what I did is correct... are
there utilities available on the net that would allow me to verify.

Any tips would be a great help... as I do not want to say, "I can't do
it" to my clients on Monday.

Thanks,
Pete


Peter,

SAS can definitely read such a format, but I am almost sure there is no
format to write it. However, I am pretty sure that if you delve really well
into what the multi-punch binary format represents you will be able to write
a custom SAS Data step or use another language of your choice to write the
data in the required form. Here's a link with a thorough discussion of the
format and how to *read* it in SAS; it may help you understand how to write
it, too:

http://www.nd.edu/~lsrweb/faq/pl/plfaq14.html

Additional reading on the SAS informats PUNCH.d, $CBw., CBw.d, and ROWw.d
may also make the picture clearer.

Kind regards,
================
Paul M. Dorfman
Jacksonville, FL
================

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