topic Does the page() method work inside of a table when you're using RWI? in ODS and Base Reporting

Does the page() method work inside of a table when you're using RWI?

derekmor54 — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 17:09:29 GMT

A quick question: is there a way to force a page break in the middle of a table when using RWI? Sample code:

ods _all_ close;
ods pdf file="&outpath/rwitest.pdf";
options nodate nonumber;

title;
footnote;

proc sort data=sashelp.baseball out=baseball;
by team name;
run;

data _null_;
length dataval $ 200;
set baseball end=last;
by team;
if _n_ eq 1 then do;
   declare odsout o();
   o.table_start();
   o.body_start();
end;

if first.team and _n_ ne 1 then
   o.page();
 
dataval = catx(' - ',team,name);
o.row_start();
o.format_cell(data: dataval);
o.row_end();

if last then do;
   o.body_end();
   o.table_end();
   o.delete();
end;
run;

ods pdf close;

This has to run inside SAS Studio.

Re: Does the page() method work inside of a table when you're using RWI?

Cynthia_sas — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 13:46:58 GMT

Hi:
My understanding is that you may not be able to force a page break with RWI under some conditions such as with ODS LAYOUT. However, unless your desired output is more complex, you could use PROC REPORT or a SAS Macro program to handle the page breaking, as an alternative.

But it looks like you want to end the table for each BY group, so I think you need to use your o.page() on the FIRST.TEAM and LAST.TEAM conditions. Here's what I was able to produce with this approach (using only 2 teams):

Although I think for a simple report such as you show, my tendency would be to use PROC REPORT. But I suspect your real report must be more complex.

Cynthia

Re: Does the page() method work inside of a table when you're using RWI?

derekmor54 — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 16:34:40 GMT

Yes, my situation is more complicated; it's more akin to:

data _null_;
length dataval $ 200;
set baseball end=last;
by team position;
retain page 1;
if _n_ eq 1 then
   declare odsout o();

if first.team then
   o.table_start();

dataval = catx(' - ',position,team,name);
o.row_start();
o.format_cell(data: dataval);
o.row_end();

if last.position then do;
   o.row_start();
   o.format_cell(data:page,overrides:'just=r');
   o.row_end();
   o.page();
   page + 1;
end;
   
if last.team then 
   o.table_end();
   
if last then 
   o.delete();
run;

ods pdf close;

Suppressing the PDF bookmark that gets generated at the table_start() method is the issue. Fortunately, a PROC REPORT soluition already exists, but this was for an independent validation that explicitly did not use PROC REPORT. However, from a little further testing and your code, it looks like the PAGE() method doesn't work without closing the table.