topic Re: format date with underscore in SAS Programming

format date with underscore

Smitha9 — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 20:20:44 GMT

%let runDate=%sysfunc(putn(%sysfunc(date()), yymmddn8.)); %put &runDate; I want to format the date like 3_11_2025

Re: format date with underscore

PeterClemmensen — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 20:39:29 GMT

It doesn't exist out-the-box, but you can roll out your own using Proc Format

proc format; 
   picture dtfmt other = '%m_%D_%Y' (datatype=date);
run;

%let runDate=%sysfunc(putn(%sysfunc(date()), dtfmt.)); 
%put &=runDate.;

Re: format date with underscore

Tom — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 22:49:52 GMT

You don't need a FORMAT. Use one of the existing formats and then use TRANSLATE() to replace the delimiters.

1    %let rundate=%sysfunc(date(),yymmddd10.);
2    %put &=rundate;
RUNDATE=2025-03-11
3    %let rundate=%sysfunc(translate(&rundate,_,-));
4    %put &=rundate;
RUNDATE=2025_03_11

PS Do not make strings with dates in MDY or DMY order. In addition to the risk of confusing half of your audience they will not sort properly.

If you might run the job more than once a day you could use DATETIME() function and formats instead. For example E8601DT16. will display YMDHM.

1    %let rundate=%sysfunc(translate(%sysfunc(datetime(),e8601dt16.),___,-T:));
2    %put &=rundate;
RUNDATE=2025_03_11_18_48

Re: format date with underscore

Ksharp — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 01:29:55 GMT

Or just simply list them all.

%let runDate=%sysfunc(date(),month2.)_%sysfunc(date(),day2.)_%sysfunc(date(),year4.);

%put &=runDate ;

7    %let runDate=%sysfunc(date(),month2.)_%sysfunc(date(),day2.)_%sysfunc(date(),year4.);
8
9    %put &=runDate ;
RUNDATE=3_12_2025