topic Re: Can't delete a variable in SAS Programming

Can't delete a variable

newtriks — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 16:19:28 GMT

I imported a JMP file with a variable that has some formatting SAS doesn't like. I can't change the formatting because I can't read the file to see what the problem is (see log in italics below), and it won't delete because of the formatting problem.

The variable is unnecessary. I just want to get rid of it. Is there a workaround? Thanks.

38 PROC PRINT data=monseau.control_ALL;
39 run;

ERROR: Format SCAN_QUA not found or couldn't be loaded for variable
Scan_Quality4___L_eye_not_so_goo.
NOTE: The SAS System stopped processing this step because of errors.
NOTE: PROCEDURE PRINT used (Total process time):
real time 0.00 seconds
cpu time 0.00 seconds

40 DATA monseau.control_ALL;
41 DROP Scan_Quality4___L_eye_not_so_goo;
42 SET monseau.control_ALL;
43 RUN;

ERROR: The format SCAN_QUA was not found or could not be loaded.
NOTE: The SAS System stopped processing this step because of errors.

Re: Can't delete a variable

Tom — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 16:28:25 GMT

Change the system option that is causing the missing format to be treated as an ERROR.

options nofmterr;

Now you can use the dataset.

Re: Can't delete a variable

Reeza — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 16:29:08 GMT

options nofmterr;

Add the following option before your code and it will remove the format if it's not found so you'll see the underlying value.

Re: Can't delete a variable

newtriks — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 16:48:37 GMT

Thank you!

Re: Can't delete a variable

FreelanceReinh — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 16:52:34 GMT

Without changing the FMTERR option setting you could use the DROP= dataset option (instead of the DROP statement) as in

monseau.control_ALL(drop=Scan_Quality4___L_eye_not_so_goo)

to drop the offending variable in the DATA step or to exclude it in the PROC PRINT step.

To see the unformatted values in the PROC PRINT step, you could also use a FORMAT statement:

proc print data=monseau.control_ALL;
format Scan_Quality4___L_eye_not_so_goo;
run;