topic Re: Exporting SAS data set while preserving formats using proc datasets in SAS Programming

Exporting SAS data set while preserving formats using proc datasets

robbie94 — Mon, 30 Jul 2018 23:00:38 GMT

I am working with a large dataset that contains a lot of confusing codes. I have formatted these codes as simple words to make it easier for individuals who may analyze the data later on to understand. When I create these formats and export them, I notice in the exported SAS datafile that none of the formats are preserved. I have been using the following code to export my data:

libname out '\C:\data\etc';

proc datasets library=work nodetails nolist;
copy in=work out=out;
select mydata;
run;quit;

Is there anyway that I can export as a SAS data set and preserve my formats? I have seen countless ways to do this with excel data using the proc export procedure, but I can't use proc export to create .sas7bdat files.

Re: Exporting SAS data set while preserving formats using proc datasets

ChrisNZ — Mon, 30 Jul 2018 23:53:05 GMT

Your explanation is probably incomplete.
Format assignments are copied along when a data set is copied.

data kk; 
  format d date.;
run;
proc datasets noprint; 
  copy in=work out=data_rw;
  select kk;
run;
proc contents data=data_rw.kk; 
run;

SAS Output

The CONTENTS Procedure

Data Set Name	DATA_RW.KK	Observations	1
Member Type	DATA	Variables	1
Engine	V9	Indexes	0
Created	31/07/2018 11:50:54	Observation Length	8
Last Modified	31/07/2018 11:50:54	Deleted Observations	0
Protection		Compressed	NO
Data Set Type		Sorted	NO
Label
Data Representation	WINDOWS_64
Encoding	wlatin1 Western (Windows)

Alphabetic List of Variables and Attributes
#	Variable	Type	Len	Format
1	d	Num	8	DATE.

Please give more details.

Re: Exporting SAS data set while preserving formats using proc datasets

Kurt_Bremser — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 04:41:01 GMT

If you use custom formats, you need to supply the defined formats along with your dataset.

How you do that depends on how "far" you want to send your datasets.

Re: Exporting SAS data set while preserving formats using proc datasets

Tom — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 04:59:47 GMT

Send the format definitions along with the dataset.

Preferable as source code for the PROC FORMAT step to create them.

If not that then as a dataset that can be used to generate them using PROC FORMAT with the CNTLIN= option.

Or if you have to as an exported transport file made with PROC CPORT.