topic Re: proc format, numeric in SAS Programming

proc format, numeric

geneshackman — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 15:12:38 GMT

I hope this is a simple question. I have a program that includes a proc format and a proc summary. When I run the proc summary, the values in the class statement column (cos) come out character but I want them to be numeric. I want cos to be numeric. Can I do that?

** Here is the program **

proc format ;
value cos (multilabel)
1-62 = 999
1-57 = 888
58-62 = 102
;
run;

proc import
datafile= "T:\gxs03\Misc\exampledata.csv"
dbms=csv
out=example
replace;
run;

proc summary data=example nway ;
class cos / mlf ;
format cos cos.;
var count pop;
output out=exampleregion sum=;
run;

** Here are the data **

cos	count	pop
1	35000	983
2	746	5
58	462158	49773
3	9534	319
59	760449	44365

** Here is the output**

cos	_TYPE_	_FREQ_	count	pop
102	1	2	1222607	94138
888	1	3	45280	1307
999	1	5	1267887	95445

Re: proc format, numeric

PaigeMiller — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 15:20:40 GMT

Using MultiLabel formats in PROC SUMMARY force the variable in the OUTPUT data set to be character.

Re: proc format, numeric

geneshackman — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 15:21:43 GMT

I mean, I want cos in the output data set, generated by proc summary, to be numeric.

Re: proc format, numeric

PaigeMiller — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 15:24:40 GMT

@geneshackman wrote:
I mean, I want cos in the output data set, generated by proc summary, to be numeric.

Can't be done with multi-label formats.

Re: proc format, numeric

geneshackman — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 15:28:28 GMT

PaigeMiller, thanks, that's good to know. But the problem is that cos divides the groups into three, and one overlaps with the other two.

Cos is counties. 1-57 are New York State outside of New York City. 58-62 are New York City. And 1-62 is New York State, which overlaps with the other two.

proc format ;
value cos (multilabel)
1-62 = 999
1-57 = 888
58-62 = 102
;
run;

So I kind of have to use these three overlapping groups. 😞

But good to know "multilable" makes them character.

Re: proc format, numeric

PaigeMiller — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 15:29:44 GMT

I don't understand the issue here. You have chosen to group the data 3 ways, and now it sounds like this is not what you want to do? Please explain in more detail.

Re: proc format, numeric

geneshackman — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 15:56:32 GMT

Thanks. It is three groups, but one (New York State) overlaps with the other two. But I think I'll try some other ways now .....

Re: proc format, numeric

Tom — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 15:59:48 GMT

Just change it to numeric by adding another step.

data want;
  length cos 8;
  set exampleregion (rename=(cos=string));
  cos = input(string,32.);
  drop string;
run;

Re: proc format, numeric

geneshackman — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 16:05:05 GMT

Yes, thanks. I just wanted to see if i could do it without another data step. But I can do this too.

Re: proc format, numeric

PaigeMiller — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 17:45:33 GMT

In this case, the value of the format is unique and just digits, so it can be converted to numeric with an extra step. In other cases, the value of the format is not just digits, and cannot be easily converted (if it can be converted at all) to numeric.