When applying a numeric format or informat to a character variable,
the following error may be displayed:

  ERROR: Invalid character format/informat decimal specified.

This occurs if the format or informat contains a decimal
specification.  Here are examples that cause the error:

  data _null_;
    x='23';
    y=input(x,$6.1);
  run;
  data _null_;
    x='23';
    format x 6.1;
  run;

Removing the decimal specification of "1" prevents the error, however
a numeric format is then assigned to the character variable.  It is
recommended that the format type matches the variable type.

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