Thanks Dan & Toby!! I just learned a new function "scan" :-)

K.

On Tue, 23 May 2006 17:58:51 -0700, Nordlund, Dan (DSHS) <NordlDJ@DSHS.WA.GOV> wrote:

>> -----Original Message----- >> From: SAS(r) Discussion [mailto:SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Kitty >> Lee >> Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 5:50 PM >> To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU >> Subject: extract a string separated by '-' >> >> Hi. I have a question about extracting caseid >> >> My current variable, CASEID has two components separated by '-'. It looks >> like this: >> >> CaseID >> 100101 - 100203 >> 100101 - 1002834 >> 10020 - 100390 >> 1003044 - 10023045 >> >> I wonder how can I separate out the two columns to become something like: >> >> CaseID_1 CaseID_2 >> >> 100101 100203 >> 100101 1002834 >> 10020 100390 >> 1003044 10023045 >> >> I can't use simple substr(string, start, length) because the length of the >> CaseIDs varies. The only clear separator is '-'. >> >> Thanks. :-) >> >> K. > >Kitty, > >You can use the SCAN function. Try something like the following: > >data test; > input CaseID $1-25; >cards; > 100101 - 100203 > 100101 - 1002834 > 10020 - 100390 > 1003044 - 10023045 >; >run; >data test2; > length CaseID_1 CaseID_2 $15; > set test; > CaseID_1=compress(scan(CaseID,1,'-')); > CaseID_2=compress(scan(CaseID,2,'-')); >run; >proc print; >run; > >Hope this is helpful, > >Dan > >Daniel J. Nordlund >Research and Data Analysis >Washington State Department of Social and Health Services >Olympia, WA 98504-5204