Advanced variable/informat lists
Depending on the structure of the data and the needs of project, you may want to intermix pointer controls and informats to achieve specific ends.

DATA PAIRS;  
   INPUT @1 ID 3.  
    @6  (QN1-QN5)(1. +3)  
    @7  (QC1-QC5)($1. +3)  
    @26 (HEIGHT AGE)(2. +1 2.);  
DATALINES;  
101  1A  3A  4B  4A  6A  68 26  
102  1A  3B  2B  2A  2B  78 32  
103  2B  3D  2C  4C  4B  62 45  
104  1C  5C  2D  6A  6A  66 22  
;  
PROC PRINT DATA=PAIRS;  
   TITLE 'Example 9.3';  
RUN;

Follow through the execution of the INPUT statement, and you will see that all the numeric QN's are read first and then the character QC's are read. The output of Proc Print is as follows.

Example 9.3  
OBS ID QN1  QN2  QN3  QN4  QN5 QC1  QC2  QC3  QC4  QC5 HEIGHT  AGE
  
 1 101  1    3    4    4    6   A    A    B    A    A    68     26  
 2 102  1    3    2    2    2   A    B    B    A    B    78     32  
 3 103  2    3    2    4    4   B    D    C    C    B    62     45  
 4 104  1    5    2    6    6   C    C    D    A    A    66     22