topic Re: Custom formatting in SAS Programming

Custom formatting

Batman — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 19:16:46 GMT

Can someone suggest a fix that will make the "<0.5%" format work?

proc format;
   picture custpcttwo 
   /*format values above .5% as whole percentages*/
	.005-high='0009%' (round) (mult=100)
	/*for those btw 0 and .5% format as "<0.5%"*/
	low-<.005 = '<0.5%'
	; 
run;

data a;
	x=.005;
	y=.0003;
run;

proc print data=a;
	var x y;
	format x y custpcttwo.;
run;

Re: Custom formatting

antonbcristina — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 19:22:02 GMT

Hi @Batman, you'll want to add a (noedit) picture option after the '<0.5%' since you're not using digit selectors.

proc format;
   picture custpcttwo 
   /*format values above .5% as whole percentages*/
	.005-high='0009%' (round) (mult=100)
	/*for those btw 0 and .5% format as "<0.5%"*/
	low-<.005 = '<0.5%' (noedit)
	; 
run;

Reference: https://documentation.sas.com/doc/en/pgmsascdc/9.4_3.5/proc/p0n990vq8gxca6n1vnsracr6jp2c.htm

Re: Custom formatting

Batman — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 19:27:43 GMT

Where you able to get it to work when you ran it? For me, the formatted value of "y" is still "0%"

Re: Custom formatting

antonbcristina — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 19:38:14 GMT

Yes, I ran the following code:

proc format;
   picture custpcttwo 
   /*format values above .5% as whole percentages*/
	.005-high='0009%' (mult=100)
	/*for those btw 0 and .5% format as "<0.5%"*/
	low-<.005 = '<0.5%' (noedit)
	; 
run;

data a;
	x=.005;
	y=.0003;
run;

proc print data=a;
	var x y;
	format x y custpcttwo.;
run;

and got:

Re: Custom formatting

antonbcristina — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 19:56:42 GMT

I should mention that you also have to move the round picture option since it applies to all values:

proc format;
   picture custpcttwo (round)
   /*format values above .5% as whole percentages*/
	.005-high='0009%' (mult=100) 
	/*for those btw 0 and .5% format as "<0.5%"*/
	low-<.005 = '<0.5%' (noedit)
	; 
run;

Re: Custom formatting

Batman — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 20:07:22 GMT

Sorry I forgot to mention, I'd still like to be able to round the value of "x", so it should be 1%. Is that doable?

Re: Custom formatting

antonbcristina — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 12:31:16 GMT

Yes, as long as you move the round picture option to right after the picture format name.

... picture custpcttwo (round) ...

edited to include complete solution:

You'll want to add a (noedit) picture option after the '<0.5%' since you're not using digit selectors.

proc format;
   picture custpcttwo 
   /*format values above .5% as whole percentages*/
	.005-high='0009%' (round) (mult=100)
	/*for those btw 0 and .5% format as "<0.5%"*/
	low-<.005 = '<0.5%' (noedit)
	; 
run;

Reference: https://documentation.sas.com/doc/en/pgmsascdc/9.4_3.5/proc/p0n990vq8gxca6n1vnsracr6jp2c.htm

I ran the following code:

proc format ; picture custpcttwo (round) /*format values above .5% as whole percentages*/ .005-high='0009%' (mult=100) /*for those btw 0 and .5% format as "<0.5%"*/ low-<.005 = '<0.5%' (noedit) ; run; data a; x=.005; y=.0003; run; proc print data=a; var x y; format x y custpcttwo.; run;

and got: