The COLLATE function returns a string of ASCII characters that range in value from 0 to 255. The string that is returned by the COLLATE function begins with the ASCII character that is specified by the start-position argument. If the end-position argument is specified, the string returned by the COLLATE function contains all the ASCII characters between the start-position and end-position arguments. If the length argument is specified instead of the end-position argument, then the COLLATE function returns a string that contains a value for length. The returned string ends, or truncates, and the character has the value 255 if you request a string length that contains characters exceeding this value.

The default length of the return string value is 200 characters. To return a length of 201 to 256 ASCII characters, use a format such as $256 for the return string variable or explicitly define the variable's length, such as length y $260.

Any programs using the COLLATE function with characters above ASCII 127 (the hexadecimal notation is '7F'x) can return a different value when used on a PC from another country. Characters above ASCII 127 are national characters and they vary from country to country.

Examples

Example 1: Returning an ASCII String Using the Return Variable Default String Length

In this example, the return code variable y uses the default return string length of 200. Therefore, the COLLATE function returns 200 characters of the collating sequence.

data _null_;
   y = collate(1,256);
   put y;
run;

Example 2: Returning an ASCII String Larger Than the Default Return Variable String Length

By formatting the return code variable to a length greater than 256, the COLLATE function returns 256 characters of the collating sequence.

data _null_;
   format y $260.;
   y = collate(1,256);
   put y;
run;

Example 3: Returning an ASCII String of a Specific Length

In this example, the return code variable y uses a return string length of 56, and the COLLATE function returns the first 56 characters of the collating sequence.

data _null_;
   y = collate(,,56);
   put y;
run;