Functions and CALL Routines |
Returns the compile-time (allocated) size for the variable that
has a name that is the same as the value of the argument.
Category: |
Variable Information
|
-
expression
-
specifies a character constant, variable,
or expression that evaluates to a variable name.
Restriction: |
The value of the
specified expression cannot denote an array reference. |
-
LENGTH examines the variable at run-time, trimming
trailing blanks to determine the length. VLENGTHX, however, evaluates the
argument to determine the variable name. The function then returns the compile-time
size that is associated with that variable name.
-
LENGTHC accepts an expression as the argument, but it returns
the length of the value of the expression, not the length of the variable
that has a name equal to the value of the expression.
-
VLENGTH returns the length of the specified variable.
VLENGTHX returns the length for the value of the specified expression.
-
VLENGTH does not accept an expression as an argument.
VLENGTHX accepts expressions, but the value of the specified expression cannot
denote an array reference.
-
Related functions return the value of other variable
attributes, such as the variable name, informat, format, among others. For
a list, see the "Variable Information" functions in Functions and CALL Routines by Category
.
SAS Statements |
Results |
length x1 $8;
x1='abc';
array vx(3) $6 vx1 vx2 vx3
('x1' 'x2' 'x3');
y=vlengthx(vx(1));
z=length(x1);
put y=;
put z=;
|
y=8
z=3
|
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