* Two string variables (problem and race) contain a variable number of comma separated numbers. How can I parse this info?. * Answer posted to usenet by rlevesque@videotron.ca. * Sample data file. DATA LIST LIST /problem(A12) race(A12). BEGIN DATA '1,2' '4,5' '10,11,3,15' '5' END DATA. LIST. * Define a macro to do the job. DEFINE !parse (var=!TOKENS(1) /nbval=!TOKENS(1)) COMPUTE !var=CONCAT(RTRIM(!var),','). STRING #str(A8). VECTOR !var (!nbval F8.0). COMPUTE #beg=1. LOOP #cnt=1 TO !nbval. +COMPUTE #str=SUBSTR(!var,#beg). +COMPUTE #end=INDEX(#str,',')-1. +DO IF #end=-1. + BREAK. +END IF. +COMPUTE !var(#cnt)=NUMBER(SUBSTR(#str,1,#end),F8.0). +COMPUTE #beg=#beg+#end+1. END LOOP IF #end=-1. EXECUTE. !ENDDEFINE. * Now call the macro. !parse var=problem nbval=5. !parse var=race nbval=4.