SAS Functions
Tutorial and Reference, Part 2

See www.stattutorials.com/SASDATA for files mentioned in this tutorial © TexaSoft, 2008

How to use SAS Functions -- Part 2 (go to part 1)

SAS functions can be used in a DATA statement to calculate new variables or as a part of a conditional statement. This part includes information on the following types: Character, Date, Time, Truncation and Miscellaneous functions.

Not all SAS Functions are described in these tutorials and reference -- the most commonly used functions are discussed  — check SAS manuals for complete list.

For an example of how SAS functions work in a SAS program refer to part 1 of this tutorial.

Character Functions

• COMPBL(text) - removes multiple blanks between words in a character string

• COMPRESS(text<,characters-to-remove>) - removes specified characters from a character string

• DEQUOTE(argument) - removes quotation marks from text

• INDEX(text,excerpt) searches text for specified string — see also INDEXC and INDEXW

• LEFT(text) - left-aligns a character string

• LENGTH(text) - length of text

• LOWCASE(text) - converts all letters to lowercase

• QUOTE(text) - adds double quotation marks to text

• REPEAT(text,n) repeats text n times

• REVERSE(argument) - reverses a text expression

• RIGHT(argument) - right-aligns a text

• SCAN(argument,n<,delimiters>) -returns the nth word from a text expression. Example:

  • First=scan(“JOHN SMITH”,1,' '); returns “JOHN”

  • Last=scan(“JOHN SMITH”,2,' '); returns “SMITH”

• SOUNDEX(text) - turns text into “sounds like” argument

  • soundex("ALLEN")=soundex("ALAN"); matches

  • soundex("ALLEN")=soundex("MELON"); does not

• SUBSTR(text,start<,n>) Search and replace. Example:

  • var=SUBSTR(“LINCOLN”,3,2); returns var =“NC”

  • SUBSTR(“LINCOLN”,3,2)=“XX”; returns LIXX

• TRANSLATE(text,to1,from1<,...ton,fromn>) - replaces characters in text with specified new characters

  • TRANSLATE('LINCOLN',"X","C"); returns LINXOLN

• TRANWRD(source,target,replacement) replaces or removes all occurrences of a word in a text string

  • TRANWRD('SPECIAL WED MEAL','WED','MON');

  • Returns ‘SPECIAL MON MEAL’

• TRIM(argument) - removes trailing blanks from text. (Returns one blank if the expression is missing.)

• TRIMN(argument) - removes trailing blanks from text. (Returns a null string if the expression is missing.)

• UPCASE(argument) - converts text to uppercase

• VERIFY(source,excerpt-1<,...excerpt-n) - searches text, returns position of 1st non-matched character in 1st argument. Example:

  •  VERIFY(“12345”,”54301”) returns 2 since the 2nd character in “12345” does not match any character in 2nd argument.

Date and Time Functions

DATDIF(sdate,edate,basis) - num days between two dates. Basis is (default) '30/360','ACT/ CT', 'ACT/360', or 'ACT/365'

DATE() - current date (SAS date value)

DATEJUL(julian-date) - converts Julian date to SAS date

DATEPART(datetime) - extracts date from SAS datetime

DATETIME() - current date and time of day

DAY(date) - day of month from a SAS date

DHMS(date,hour,minute,second) - SAS datetime value from date, hour, minute, and second

HMS(hour,minute,second) - SAS time value from hour, minute, and second

HOUR(<time | datetime>) - hour from a SAS time or datetime value

INTCK('interval',from,to) - number of time intervals in a given time span. ‘Interval’ can be:

Date Intervals: DAY, WEEKDAY, WEEK, TENDAY, SEMIMONTH, MONTH, QTR, SEMIYEAR, YEAR

Datetime Intervals: DTDAY, DTWEEKDAY, DTWEEK, DTTENDAY, DTSEMIMONTH, DTMONTH, DTQTR, DTSEMIYEAR, DTYEAR

Time Intervals: HOUR, MINUTE, SECOND

INTNX('interval',start-from,increment<,'alignment'>) - advances a date, time, or datetime value by a given interval, and returns a date, time, or datetime value — see intervals above

JULDATE(date) - Julian date from a SAS date

MDY(month,day,year) - SAS date from month, day, year

MINUTE(time | datetime) - minute from a SAS time or datetime value

MONTH(date) - month from a SAS date value

QTR(date) - quarter of the year from a SAS date value

SECOND(time | datetime) - second from a SAS time or datetime value

TIME() - current time of day

TIMEPART(datetime) - time value from a SAS datetime

TODAY() - current date as a SAS date

WEEKDAY(date)- day of the week from a SAS date

YEAR(date) - year from a SAS date value

YRDIF(startdate,enddate,basis) - diff in years between 2 dates. Basis is '30/360','ACT/ CT', 'ACT/360', or 'ACT/365'

YYQ(year,quarter) - SAS date from year and quarter

Truncation Functions

• CEIL(value) - smallest integer GE argument
• FLOOR(value) - largest integer LE argument
• FUZZ(value) - nearest integer if value is within 1E-12
• INT(value) - decimal portion of the value of the argument
• ROUND(value,roundoffunit) - value to the nearest roundoff unit
• TRUNC(number, length) - truncated numeric value of a specified length

Selected Misc Functions

• IRR(period,cash0,cash1,...) internal rate of return as a percentage
• MORT(amount,payment,rate,number) loan calculation. Example carloan MORT(30000,.,.06/12,48); (Payment set at .) returns $704.55 monthly payment.
• NPV(rate,period,cash0,cash1,..) net present value expressed as
• ZIPSTATE(zipcode) convert ZIP codes to two-letter state codes
• ZIPNAMEL(zipcode) convert ZIP codes to state name (upper and lowercase)

 

End of tutorial -- go back to part 1

 

NOTE: SAS FUNCTIONS tutorial is available as a laminated reference card. Click here for more info

 

See http://www.stattutorials.com/SAS

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