LENGTHC Function

Arguments

string

specifies a character constant, variable, or expression.

The LENGTHC function returns the number of characters, both blanks and non-blanks, in string. If string is a numeric constant, variable or expression (either initialized or uninitialized), SAS automatically converts the numeric value to a right-justified character string by using the BEST12. format. In this case, LENGTHC returns a value of 12 and writes a note in the SAS log stating that the numeric values have been converted to character values.

• The LENGTHC function returns the length of a character string, including trailing blanks, whereas the LENGTH and LENGTHN functions return the length of a character string, excluding trailing blanks. LENGTHC always returns a value that is greater than or equal to the value of LENGTHN.

• The LENGTHC function returns the length of a character string, including trailing blanks, whereas the LENGTHM function returns the amount of memory in bytes that is allocated for a character string. For fixed-length character strings, LENGTHC and LENGTHM always return the same value. For varying-length character strings, LENGTHC always returns a value that is less than or equal to the value returned by LENGTHM.

The following SAS statements produce these results:

x=lengthc('variable with trailing blanks   ');
put x;

32

length fixed $35;
fixed='variable with trailing blanks   ';
x=lengthc(fixed);
put x;

35

Copyright © 2011 by SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA. All rights reserved.