topic Re: function to test for missing user-defined format in SAS Programming

function to test for missing user-defined format

frisco — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:31:51 GMT

Is there a function to test for a missing user-defined format? I create a great deal of user-defined formats and am not always notifed by end-users that a new format needs to be created.

Re: function to test for missing user-defined format

sbb — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:47:08 GMT

You can use DICTIONARY.FORMATS or SASHELP.VFORMAT to determine if a FORMAT/FORMATC member exists.

Scott Barry
SBBWorks, Inc.

http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/sqlproc/62086/HTML/default/a001385596.htm

Re: function to test for missing user-defined format

ChrisNZ — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:21:04 GMT

I agree with Scott, list the formats you need by looking at what tables use, then list the formats you have by looking at what your format catalogs contain, and compare.

Re: function to test for missing user-defined format

sbb — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:24:02 GMT

And, if you want to test for a user-defined format using a function call, you can always use the EXIST function, knowing the libref and catalog, as well as format-type (either FORMAT or FORMATC).

Scott Barry
SBBWorks, Inc.