SAS Programming 3: Advanced Techniques -- Numeric Formats using Picture statement

[TheresaM]

I'm just checking my understanding.  From what I understand, if the following is correct:

Then is the following not correct?  My responses would have been:  189.87%, 696.20% and 31.54%.

[mkeintz]

In the program below

proc format ;
  picture mypct  low-high='009.99%'  (multiplier=100 ) ;
run;
data _null_;
  do percent=1.8987,6.6920,0.3165;
    put 'Default Format: ' percent=  @36 'Using mypct: ' (percent) (mypct.) ;
  end;
run;

the log shows:

Default Format: percent=1.8987     Using mypct:   1.89%
Default Format: percent=6.692      Using mypct:   6.69%
Default Format: percent=0.3165     Using mypct:   0.31%

Consider the first value (1.8987):

1. First, the "multiplier=100" option converts 1.8987 to 189.87
   
   
2. Then remember that the picture will be applied only to digits to the left of the decimal point, i.e. only to 189.  I think this is where you are being thrown off.  Ignoring the digits after the post-multiplier decimal provides a way to treat 1.8987 the same as 1.8900 (which would become 189 under "multiplier=100").   They both only have the same three digits to the left of the decimal point.
   
   
3. Finally, applying '009.99%' picture to the digits 189, proceeding from right to left, yields 1.89%.

You can take a close look at the "multiplier=n" sections of PICTURE Statement 

[ballardw]

Shorter answer: the 9 in a picture format is a digit selector. So if the format selects ONE decimal place as in your '009.9' then it will only display one decimal place.