The SUBSTR function is used to extract substring from a character variable.
The SUBSTR function has three arguments:
SUBSTR ( character variable, starting point to begin reading the variable, number of characters to read from the starting point)
There are two basic applications of the SUBSTR function:
RIGHT SIDE APPLICATION
data _null_;
phone='(312) 555-1212';
area_cd=substr(phone, 2, 3);
put area_cd=;
run;
Result : In the log window, it writes area_cd=312 .
LEFT SIDE APPLICATION
It is used to change just a few characters of a variable.
data _null_ ;
phone='(312) 555-1212' ;
substr(phone, 2, 3)='773' ;
put phone=;
run ;
Result : The variable PHONE has been changed from(312) 555-1212 to (773) 555-1212.
