This document summarizes different methods for inputting data in SAS, including column mode, list mode, and formatted mode. Column mode requires calculating data locations, while list mode is easiest, separating data with blanks and only allowing periods for missing values. Formatted mode requires specifying data lengths and allows blanks or periods for missing values. List mode is generally preferred for inputting data when lengths are unequal, as it easily handles variable data with blanks as separators.

1. SAS tutorial
2012/09/27
Institute of Cognitive Science
許景淳
E-mail : honli1027@gmail.com

2. Outline
Input Data
1. Column mode
2. List Mode
3. Formatted mode

3. Syntax of input data
Construct the SAS
DATA XXX; data set
INPUT A B C D; Input the names
of variables
CARDS;
Put your data here Input data
;
PROC PRINT;
Code of the task you
RUN; want SAS to do

4. Name of the SAS data set
• DATA XXX
1. We can’t use number as the first letter
of the name
2. There can’t be a blank in the name
3. Use different name for each data set

5. Type of the variables
1. word：NAME, SEX
We should use $ to claim that it’s a word
type variable
2. number：ID, AGE, INCOME,RT…

6. • DATA procedure
– To construct or modify the SAS data
• PROC procedure
– Process the SAS data
• Feature of SAS code
– (1) use ; as the end of each row
– (2) you can use capital or small letter
– (3) SAS code can be in the same row or cross
a lot of rows

7. Input the Data
• Use each way to input this data
number height weight age
1 170 65 23
2 158 40 20
3 163 51 18

8. 1. column mode
Assign the locations
where the data begin

10. Feature of Column Input
• SAS use the assigned locations to read data, so
the data should be at the assigned locations
• The blank can be included in the word type
variables
• The missing data can be represented by .
or blank

11. • disadvantages：
– If the data exceed the assigned locations, it will be
correspond to the wrong variable
Number Age Rank
– i.e 001 18 1
002 20 2
correct
wrong

12. 2. List Mode

14. Feature of List Input
• There should be blank between each data
• The blank can’t be included in the word type
variables
• The only way to represent the missing data
is .

15. 3. Formatted mode
Assign the locations
where the data begin,
and the length of data

17. Feature of Formatted Input
• SAS use the assigned locations and the length
to read data, so the data should be at the
assigned locations and correct length
• The blank can be included in the word type
variables
• The missing data can be represented by .
or blank

18. • 缺點：
– If the data exceed the assigned length, SAS will
filter it
Name Age Rank
– i.e Tom 18 1
Mary 20 2
correct
wrong

19. Fro example
name height weight age sex
Tom 170 65 23 M
Jimmy 158 40 20 F
Mary 163 51 18 M

20. 欄位讀取法
Name and sex are word
type variables, so we
have to use $

21. 簡列讀取法

22. 格式讀取法

23. • We can see that
– When the length of data is unequal, column mode
and formatted mode are inconvenient
– Instead, when we use list mode, we can simply
use blank to separate data, so we usually use this
mode to input data

24. summary
• Column mode
– Have to calculate the locations and the missing
data can be represented by . or blank
• List mode
– Easy to use and the missing data only can be
represented by .
• Formatted mode
– Have to calculate the length and the missing data
can be represented by . or blank

25. END