Date:         Thu, 3 Aug 2006 02:59:37 -0400
Reply-To:     Eric Hoogenboom <erichoogenboom@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Eric Hoogenboom <erichoogenboom@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: How to extract letter?
Comments: To: SUBSCRIBE SAS-L Yufei Wang <yufeiw@GMAIL.COM>

Yufei,

Try this code. It works fine for your given examples.

data complot;
   length code $ 20;
   code = "12:55:01 MD PD C1"; output;
   code = "12:55:01 MDPD C1"; output;
run;

data split (drop=locateplot);
   set complot;
   length time 8 plot $ 3 doctor $ 2 patient $ 2 locateplot $ 8;
   format time time8.;

   time       = input(substr(code, 1, 8), time8.);
   patient    = substr(code, length(code)-1, 2);
   doctor     = substr(code, length(code)-4, 2);

   locateplot = substr(code, 10, length(code)-12);
   plot       = substr(locateplot, 1, length(locateplot)-2);

   put code= time= plot= doctor= patient=;
run;

Hth,
Eric