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The SQL procedure (PROC SQL) provides numerous arithmetic, statistical, and summary functions to manipulate numeric data. With one numeric data type to represent numeric data, the NUMERIC or NUM column definition is automatically assigned a default length of 8 bytes, even if the column is created with a numeric length less than 8 bytes.

The variety of functions and operators available to PROC SQL can be used to manipulate character data, including words, text, and codes, using the CHARACTER or CHAR data type. The CHARACTER or CHAR data type allows the use of ASCII or EBCDIC character sets and stores fixed-length character strings consisting of a maximum of 32K characters. This tip illustrates how columns based on the numeric and character data types are defined; and how string functions, pattern matching, phonetic matching techniques, and a variety of other techniques are used with numeric and character data.

PROC SQL users have a number of ways to accomplish their objectives, particularly when the goal is to manipulate data. The SELECT statement is an extremely powerful statement in the SQL language. Its syntax can be somewhat complex because of the number of ways that columns, tables, operators, and functions can be combined into executable statements. There are several types of operators and functions in PROC SQL: (1) comparison operators, (2) logical operators, (3) arithmetic operators, (4) character-string operators, and (5) summary functions. This tip illustrates concatenation, character alignment, and phonetic and pattern-matching character-string operations in manipulating data.

Character-String Operators and Functions
Character-string operators and functions are typically used with character data. Numerous operators are presented to acquaint users with the power available with the SQL procedure. You'll see a number of operators including string concatenation and character alignment.

Concatenation and Character Alignment
The default alignment for character data is to the left; however, character columns or expressions can also be aligned to the right. Two functions are available for character alignment: LEFT and RIGHT. The following example combines the concatenation operator ("||") and the TRIM function with the LEFT function to left-align a character expression while inserting blank spaces and a dash ("-") between two character columns to subset PG-rated movies.

PROC SQL Code

PROC SQL;
  SELECT LEFT(TRIM(title) || " - " || category) AS Concatenation_Alignment
    FROM movies
      WHERE rating = "PG";
QUIT;

Results

Concatenation_Alignment
--------------------------------------------------------
Casablanca - Drama
Jaws - Action Adventure
Poltergeist - Horror
Rocky - Action Adventure
Star Wars - Action Sci-Fi
The Hunt for Red October - Action Adventure

Phonetic Matching (Sounds-Like Operator =*)
A technique for finding names that sound alike or have variations in spelling is available in PROC SQL. Although not technically a function, the sounds-like operator "=*" searches and selects character data based on two expressions: the search value and the matched value. Anyone who has looked for a last name in a local telephone directory is quickly reminded of the possible phonetic variations. To illustrate how the sounds-like operator works, we search on the movie title in the MOVIES table, using the character string "Rucky", for any and all phonetic variations on the movie title "Rocky."

PROC SQL Code

PROC SQL;
  SELECT title, rating, category
    FROM movies
      WHERE title =* "Rucky";
QUIT;

Results

Title                           Rating  Category
--------------------------------------------------------
Rocky                           PG      Action Adventure

Finding Patterns in a String (Pattern Matching % and _)
Constructing specific search patterns in string expressions is a simple process with the LIKE predicate. The % acts as a wildcard character representing any number of characters, including any combination of uppercase or lowercase characters. Combining the LIKE predicate with the % (percent sign) permits case-sensitive searches and is a popular technique used by savvy SQL programmers to find patterns in their data. The next example finds patterns in the movie category containing the uppercase character "D" in the first position, followed by any number of characters in the CATEGORY column.

PROC SQL Code

PROC SQL;
  SELECT title, rating, category
    FROM movies
      WHERE category LIKE 'D%';
QUIT;

Results

Title                           Rating  Category
---------------------------------------------------------
Casablanca                      PG      Drama
Forrest Gump                    PG-13   Drama
Michael                         PG-13   Drama
Dressed to Kill                 R       Drama Mysteries
Ghost                           PG-13   Drama Romance
Titanic                         PG-13   Drama Romance
Silence of the Lambs            R       Drama Suspense

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About the Author
Kirk Paul Lafler is the author of PROC SQL: Beyond the Basics Using SAS, published by SAS Press. He also writes the popular SAS tips column "Kirk's Korner," which appears regularly in several SAS users group newsletters, and is a frequent speaker at SAS users group meetings.

His book is available from the online bookstore.

• PROC SQL: Beyond the Basics Using SAS

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These sample files and code examples are provided by SAS Institute Inc. "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Recipients acknowledge and agree that SAS Institute shall not be liable for any damages whatsoever arising out of their use of this material. In addition, SAS Institute will provide no support for the materials contained herein.

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These sample files and code examples are provided by SAS Institute Inc. "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Recipients acknowledge and agree that SAS Institute shall not be liable for any damages whatsoever arising out of their use of this material. In addition, SAS Institute will provide no support for the materials contained herein.

This SQL Procedure tip illustrates how columns based on the numeric and character data types are defined; and how string functions, pattern matching, phonetic matching techniques, and a variety of other techniques are used with numeric and character data. This tip is from Kirk Paul Lafler.

Type:	Sample
Topic:	SAS Reference ==> Procedures ==> SQL Internal Administration ==> BBU Non SAS Authors ==> Kirk Paul Lafler

Date Modified:	2005-06-01 11:39:51
Date Created:	2005-04-06 14:46:54

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SAS System	Base SAS	All	n/a	n/a