hi ... if I interpret the question correctly, you just want a function that will produce a character variable whether the argument is character or numeric your original job wanted a variable named VALUE with a length of 80

how about using one of the CAT functions this uses both a NUMERIC (height) and a CHARACTER (sex) variable

proc sql; create table x as select name, catt(height) as v1 length=80, catt(sex) as v2 length=80 from sashelp.class; quit;

proc contents data=x; ods select variables; run;

Alphabetic List of Variables and Attributes # Variable Type Len 1 Name Char 8 2 v1 Char 80 3 v2 Char 80

so, can you try ... SELECT ID, catt(&var) as value length=80

-- Mike Zdeb U@Albany School of Public Health One University Place (Room 119) Rensselaer, New York 12144-3456 P/518-402-6479 F/630-604-1475

> > On Mon, 5 Apr 2010 23:36:26 -0500, Craig Johnson <cjohns38@GMAIL.COM> wrote: > >>I looked at the put statement and couldn't figure out a way to get it work >>short of reading in the format of the variable every time and including that >>into a macro. As an example, the code below is a stripped down version of >>what I'm doing just for a character variable. Is there a way I could change >>this so it would work for either numeric or character? >> >>/*Example File*/ >> >>data Actual; >>infile datalines dsd; >>input ID Char1 $ Num1; >>datalines; >>1, "A",. >>2, .,10 >>; >> >>%MACRO TEST (VARS=, WHEREs=); >>data Errors; >>set _Null_; >>attrib ID length=8 format=Best12.; >>attrib Value length=$80; >>run; >> >>%LET i=1; >>%let WHERE=%SCAN(&WHERES, &I); >>%let Var=%Scan(&Vars, &I); >>%do %while (&VAR NE); >> >>PROC SQL; >>INSERT INTO ERRORS (ID, Value) >>SELECT ID, &var as value /*I realize I'd have to use the put statement here >>but the best8 may only be one variable while another is a char and another >>best12. I want something that could handle them all......if that's >>possible*/ >>FROM Actual >>WHERE &var = "&where"; >>quit; >> >>%let i = %eval(&i+1); >>%let Var=%Scan(Vars, &I); >>%let WHERE=%SCAN(WHERES, &I); >>%end; >>%mend test; >> >> >>%TEST (VARS=char1, WHEREs = A); >> >>On Mon, Apr 5, 2010 at 5:24 PM, Joe Matise <snoopy369@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> I think if you use PUT() you can force it very simply... >>> insert into errors (id, value) >>> select id, put(variable, best8.) as value from actual where whatever; >>> >>> and if you need multiple variables of course just use union all... >>> >>> -Joe >>> >>> >>> On Mon, Apr 5, 2010 at 3:25 PM, Craig Johnson <cjohns38@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>>> I created a macro that loops through variables, looks for values out of >>>> range, and then inserts the errors into an error log. I would like to >>>> insert >>>> the values that it finds into a character variable in the error log. Is >>>> there a single generic way I could insert the values into the character >>>> variable if it is coming from a numeric or a character field using proc >>>> sql? >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> SO��� >>>> >>>> PROC SQL; >>>> >>>> INSERT INTO Errors (ID, Value) >>>> >>>> SELECT ID, WHATEVERVARIABLE AS VALUE format=8 /*will handle numeric or >>>> character values*/ >>>> >>>> FROM ACTUAL; >>>> >>>> WHERE whatever=whatever; >>>> >>>> Quit; >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> /*Example File*/ >>>> >>>> *data* Actual; >>>> >>>> infile datalines dsd; >>>> >>>> input ID Char1 $ Num1; >>>> >>>> datalines; >>>> >>>> 1, "A",. >>>> >>>> 2, .,10 >>>> >>>> ; >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> /*What I would like*/ >>>> >>>> *data* wanted; >>>> >>>> infile datalines dsd; >>>> >>>> input ID Value $; >>>> >>>> datalines; >>>> >>>> 1, "A" >>>> >>>> 2, "10" >>>> >>>> ; >>>> >>> >>> >