VLENGTHX Function
Returns the compile-time (allocated) size for the
variable that has a name that is the same as the value of the argument.
| Category: |
Variable Information |
Syntax
Required Argument
expression
specifies a character
constant, variable, or expression that evaluates to a variable name.
| Restriction |
The value of the specified expression cannot denote an
array reference.
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Comparisons
-
LENGTH examines the variable at
run-time, trimming trailing blanks to determine the length. VLENGTHX,
however, evaluates the argument to determine the variable name. The
function then returns the compile-time size that is associated with
that variable name.
-
LENGTHC accepts an expression as
the argument, but it returns the length of the value of the expression,
not the length of the variable that has a name equal to the value
of the expression.
-
VLENGTH returns the length of the
specified variable. VLENGTHX returns the length for the value of
the specified expression.
-
VLENGTH does not accept an expression
as an argument. VLENGTHX accepts expressions, but the value of the
specified expression cannot denote an array reference.
-
Related functions return the value
of other variable attributes, such as the variable name, informat,
format, among others. For a list, see the Variable Information functions
in
SAS Functions and CALL Routines by Category.
Example
The following SAS statements
produce these results.
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|
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length x1 $8;
x1='abc';
array vx(3) $6 vx1 vx2 vx3
('x1' 'x2' 'x3');
y=vlengthx(vx(1));
z=length(x1);
put y=;
put z=; |
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