SAS truncate a string

[1695814]

Is there a better way to do this?

I have two string variables, VAR1 $24. & VAR2 $13.;

Sometimes VAR1 = 'HARDY_______________'; /* '_' represents spaces */
But other times VAR1 = 'WONT YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?';

Additionally, VAR2 = 'HAR HAR______';
But other times VAR1 = 'NOT A CHANCE';

I am concatenating the two vars: VAR3 = VAR1 !! VAR2;
The problem is those spaces at then end of VAR1 when VAR1 = hardy____...

I want VAR3 = 'HARDY HAR HAR';
not 'HARDY_____________ HAR HAR_______';

This is how I tried to get around it: VAR3 = COMPRESS(VAR1 !! VAR2,'__'); /* '__' represents two spaces. */

SAS ignored the two spaces & and compressed ALL spaces so VAR3 = 'HARDYHARHAR';

There's got to be something out there for this.

Maybe a TRIM statement?

[1695814]

Yes, TRIM worked.

More specifically, VAR3 = TRIM(VAR1) !! '_' !! TRIM(VAR2);
/* '_' represents a space. */
/* I had to add a space in between the two otherwise it turned into 'HARDYHAR HAR'. */