topic Reference character format names in New SAS User

Reference character format names

cosmid — Sun, 25 Dec 2022 21:16:55 GMT

Hi,

When referencing a character format name, is the $ required?

Example:

proc format lib=formtlib;

value jobfmt 'M' = 'Manager'

'E' = 'Employeed';

run;

If trying to associate the jobfmt with a variable in a format statement:

format jobtitle $jobfmt.;

is the $ required for jobfmt or optional?

Thanks

Re: Reference character format names

SASKiwi — Sun, 25 Dec 2022 21:41:53 GMT

It would be a lot quicker to test for yourself. You won't be able to create the SAS format in the first place if you don't put a dollar sign in the name:

28         proc format;
29           value sexfmt
30         'F'='Female'
ERROR: The quoted string 'F' is not acceptable to a numeric format or informat.
31         'M'='Male'
32         ;
NOTE: The previous statement has been deleted.
33         run;

Re: Reference character format names

cosmid — Sun, 25 Dec 2022 22:14:25 GMT

Hi SASKiwi again!

Yes, it would be quicker just to test it but I won't have access to SAS until tomorrow.

I know when assigning the format-name in the VALUE statement, you need $ for the format-name for character values. My question was, is the $ needed when you reference that format-name.

In your example, when I reference sexfmt in a format statement:
format sex $sexfmt.;

I wanted to know in that format statement, if the $ is optional or required.

Thanks again for helping me with all of my questions!

Re: Reference character format names

SASKiwi — Sun, 25 Dec 2022 22:33:57 GMT

This is the error you get if you drop the dollar sign from the format:

35         proc print data=sashelp.class;
36         format sex sexfmt.;
ERROR: You are trying to use the numeric format SEXFMT with the character variable Sex in data set SASHELP.CLASS.
37         run;