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Introduction

Raw data can be organized in several ways.

This external file contains data that is arranged in columns or fixed fields. You can specify a beginning and ending column for each field. However, this file contains nonstandard data, because one of the variable's values includes a special character, the dollar sign ($).    
1---+----10---+----20---+---- 
BIRD FEEDER   LG088  3 $29.95
GLASS MUGS    SB082  6 $25.00
GLASS TRAY    BQ049 12 $39.95
PADDED HANGRS MN256 15 $9.95
JEWELRY BOX   AJ498 23 $45.00
RED APRON     AQ072  9 $6.50
CRYSTAL VASE  AQ672 27 $29.95
PICNIC BASKET LS930 21 $15.00

This external file contains no special characters, but its data is free-format, meaning that it is not arranged in columns. Notice that the values for a particular field do not begin and end in the same columns.    
1---+----10---+----20---+-- 
BARNES NORTHWEST 36098.45
FARLSON SOUTHWEST 24394.09
LAWRENCE NORTHEAST 19504.26
NELSON SOUTHEAST 16930.84
STEWART MIDWEST 23845.13
TAYLOR MIDWEST 12354.42
TREADWAY SOUTHWEST 41092.84
WALSTON SOUTHEAST 28938.71


How your data is organized and what type of data you have determine which input style you should use to read the data. SAS provides three primary input styles: column input, formatted input, and list input. This lesson teaches you how to use column input and formatted input to read standard and nonstandard data that is arranged in fixed fields.


Notice:

Setting Up Filerefs for Practices in This Lesson



Time to Complete

This lesson contains pages and takes approximately 1 hour to complete.


Objectives

In this lesson, you learn to

  • distinguish between standard and nonstandard numeric data
  • read standard fixed-field data
  • read nonstandard fixed-field data.

Prerequisites

Before taking this lesson, you should complete the following lessons:

  • .

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