topic Re: Is there a format that will render a datetime value similar to "Jan 23, 2025 09:32:56 GMT" in SAS Programming

Is there a format that will render a datetime value similar to "Jan 23, 2025 09:32:56 GMT"

RichardAD — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 09:50:30 GMT

I would like to output a human readable datetime in a comment in some codegen.

filename codegen 'xyzzy.sas'; 
data _null_;
  file codegen ;
  now = datetime() ;
  put "/*" / " * Codegen created at " now ___FANCYFORMAT___ / " */" ;
run ;
data _null_;
  file codegen mod ;
  ... actual codegen
run ;

Re: Is there a format that will render a datetime value similar to "Jan 23, 2025 09:32:56 GMT"

PaigeMiller — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 10:54:44 GMT

You want to use "directives" in PROC FORMAT. Here is the link (scroll down to directives) https://documentation.sas.com/doc/en/pgmsascdc/9.4_3.4/proc/p0n990vq8gxca6n1vnsracr6jp2c.htm

Here is an example using directives: https://documentation.sas.com/doc/en/pgmsascdc/9.4_3.4/proc/n01lvjtpz3ewuhn1cvj3x4yhzyul.htm#n01lvjtpz3ewuhn1cvj3x4yhzyul It should be easy to modify this example to get exactly what you want.

Re: Is there a format that will render a datetime value similar to "Jan 23, 2025 09:32:56 GMT

RichardAD — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 12:28:11 GMT

Eventually found the NLDATM* family of formats.

NLDATMM. and NLDATMWZ. are close enough.

NLDATM.            23Jan2025:12:21:37
NLDATMAP.          January 23, 2025 12:21:37 PM
NLDATMDT.          January 23, 2025
NLDATML.           January 23, 2025 12:21:37 PM
NLDATMM.           Jan 23, 2025 12:21:37 PM            <------------
NLDATMMD.          January 23
NLDATMMDL.         January 23
NLDATMMDM.         Jan 23
NLDATMMDS.         01/23
NLDATMMN.          January
NLDATMS.           01/23/2025 12:21:37
NLDATMTM.          12:21:37
NLDATMTZ.          12:21:37 +0000
NLDATMW.           Thursday, January 23, 2025 12:21:37 PM
NLDATMWN.          Thursday
NLDATMWZ.          Thu, Jan 23, 2025 12:21:37 PM +0000    <--------
NLDATMYM.          January 2025
NLDATMYML.         January 2025
NLDATMYMM.         Jan 2025
NLDATMYMS.         01/2025
NLDATMYQ.          1st quarter 2025
NLDATMYQL.         1st quarter 2025
NLDATMYQM.         Q1 2025
NLDATMYQS.         2025/1
NLDATMYR.          2025
NLDATMYW.          week 03 2025
NLDATMZ.           23Jan2025:12:21:37 +0000