Statements

INPUT Statement, Column

Reads input values from specified columns and assigns them to the corresponding SAS variables.

Valid:	in a DATA step
Category:	File-handling
Type:	Executable

Syntax
Arguments
Details
	When to Use Column Input
	Missing Values
	Reading Data Lines
	Reading Variable-Length Records
Examples
See Also

Syntax

INPUT variable <$> start-column <- end-column>
<.decimals> <@ | @@>;

When to Use Column Input

With column input, the column numbers that contain the value follow a variable name in the INPUT statement. To read with column input, data values must be in

the same columns in all the input data records
standard numeric form or character form.(footnote 1)

Useful features of column input are that

Character values can contain embedded blanks.
Character values can be from 1 to 32,767 characters long.
Input values can be read in any order, regardless of their position in the record.
Values or parts of values can be read multiple times. For example, this INPUT statement reads an ID value in columns 10 through 15 and then reads a GROUP value from column 13:
```
input id 10-15 group 13;
```
Both leading and trailing blanks within the field are ignored. Therefore, if numeric values contain blanks that represent zeros or if you want to retain leading and trailing blanks in character values, read the value with an informat. See INPUT Statement, Formatted.

Missing data do not require a place-holder. The INPUT statement interprets a blank field as missing and reads other values correctly. If a numeric or character field contains a single period, the variable value is set to missing.

Reading Data Lines

SAS always pads the data records that follow the DATALINES statement (in-stream data) to a fixed length in multiples of 80. The CARDIMAGE system option determines whether to read or to truncate data past the 80th column.

Reading Variable-Length Records

By default, SAS uses the FLOWOVER option to read varying-length data records. If the record contains fewer values than expected, the INPUT statement reads the values from the next data record. To read varying-length data, you might need to use the TRUNCOVER option in the INFILE statement. The TRUNCOVER option is more efficient than the PAD option, which pads the records to a fixed length. For more information, see Reading Past the End of a Line.

Examples

This DATA step demonstrates how to read input data records with column input:

data scores;
   input name $ 1-18 score1 25-27 score2 30-32
         score3 35-37;
   datalines;
Joseph                  11   32   76
Mitchel                 13   29   82
Sue Ellen               14   27   74
;

Tip:	If the variable value occupies only one column, omit end-column.
Example:	Because end-column is omitted, the values for the character variable GENDER occupy only column 16: input name $ 1-10 pulse 11-13 waist 14-15 gender $ 16;

Restriction:	The trailing @ must be the last item in the INPUT statement.
Tip:	The trailing @ prevents the next INPUT statement from automatically releasing the current input record and reading the next record into the input buffer. It is useful when you need to read from a record multiple times.
See:	Pointer Controls.

Restriction:	The double trailing @ must be the last item in the INPUT statement.
Tip:	The double trailing @ is useful when each input line contains values for several observations.
See:	Using Line-Hold Specifiers.

INPUT Statement, Column

Syntax

Arguments

When to Use Column Input

Missing Values

Reading Data Lines

Reading Variable-Length Records