Convert character date into numeric in SAS

Question

I have a character variable which contains dates like (string length is 30):

Mon Jul 24 02:48:17 -0700 2017
------------------------------ ruler
123456789012345678901234567890
         1         2         3

How can I extract the usable(date,month,year) date and save it as numeric date. I know how to do it by using SUBSTR function and then concatenating everything together. But I want to know a easier and quick way. I tried using ANYDTDTE informat to read it, but got blank values. Let me know if there is any simpler way to read this date.

Show your code with substr. Do you have to deal with this sort of input many multiple times ? If so, you could place the code for conversion to SAS date value in a macro. If the existing code works and the date string value construct is not variant maybe just accept it and move on. Just be sure to give the assigned variable a date format. — Richard

Tom Tom · Accepted Answer · 2019-02-07T02:48:29

Do you need just the date? Or do you need to get the time part also? The SCAN() function can make this easier.

data test;
  str='Mon Jul 24 02:48:17 -0700 2017';
  date=input(cats(scan(str,3),scan(str,2),scan(str,-1)),date9.);
  format date date9.;
  datetime=input(cats(scan(str,3),scan(str,2),scan(str,-1),':',scan(str,4,' ')),datetime20.);
  format datetime datetime19.;
run;

Result:

str=Mon Jul 24 02:48:17 -0700 2017 
date=24JUL2017 
datetime=24JUL2017:02:48:17

Convert character date into numeric in SAS

1 Answers