compute number from string variable

[vanels]

Unfortunately, the syntax I found in previous threads did not work with my variable. Can anyone help??

My variable (numeric variable) contains 7 digits. I only want to extraxt the first 3 numbers.

How can I do that?

Thanks so much!

Elsje

[Cleland, Patricia (EDU)]

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[Kevan Edwards (MDH)]

I am currently out of the office and will return on Tues Oct 30th.  I will have limited email access during that time.   I will try and respond to your email as quickly as possible given my absence from the office.

[Bruce Weaver]

If your string variable can have leading or trailing spaces, you may have to throw in an LTRIM or RTRIM, but here's the basic idea.

data list free / stringvar (a7).
begin data
1234567
7654321
2345678
3456789
end data.

* OP wants "first 3 numbers".
* Assuming that means 3 left-most digits in the string variable,
* here are two methods that work.

compute numvar1 = trunc(number(stringvar,f7) / 10**4).
compute numvar2 = number(char.substr(stringvar,1,3),f3).

* If first 3 numbers means 3 right-most digits, this will work.

compute numvar3 = number(char.substr(stringvar,5,3),f3).
formats numvar1 to numvar3 (f8.0).
list.

OUTPUT:

stringvar  numvar1  numvar2  numvar3
 
1234567        123      123      567
7654321        765      765      321
2345678        234      234      678
3456789        345      345      789

vanels wrote

Unfortunately, the syntax I found in previous threads did not work with my variable. Can anyone help??

My variable (numeric variable) contains 7 digits. I only want to extraxt the first 3 numbers.

How can I do that?

Thanks so much!

Elsje