In this lesson, you learned to read raw data by writing
an INPUT statement using column input. However, column input is appropriate
only in certain situations. When you use column input, your data must be
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standard character and numeric values. If the raw data file
contains nonstandard values, you need to use formatted input, another style
of input. To learn about formatted input, see the lesson Reading
Raw Data in Fixed Fields.
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in fixed fields. That is, values for a particular variable
must be in the same location on all records. If your raw data file contains
values that are not in fixed fields, you need to use list input. To learn
about list input, see the lesson Reading Free-Format Data.
Other forms of the INPUT statement enable you to read
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nonstandard data values such as hexadecimal, packed decimal, SAS date values,
and monetary values that contain dollar signs and commas
- free-format data (data not in fixed fields)
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implied decimal points
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variable-length data values
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variable-length records
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different record types.
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