topic Re: readable datetime format in SAS Programming

readable datetime format

jjjch — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 14:58:03 GMT

All existing SAS datetime formats, as for as I know, is not easy for me to read.

Such as 1447213759 datetime with datetime21.2 format will be shown as 10NOV2005:03:49:19.00.

And I have to define a new format as below to make it looks like 2005-11-10 03:49:19.

PROC FORMAT;
picture MyDT other='%0Y-%0m-%0d %0H:%0M:%0S' (datatype=datetime);
RUN;

Then I will have to define the format in all my sas codes, otherwise, the dataset I created with this format will not be shown correctly.

I really want to know why SAS does not create a more readable datetime format like the one above.

Re: readable datetime format

sschleede — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 15:27:48 GMT

I can't answer your question, but I really like your code snippet! I printed it out and posted it at my desk.

Re: readable datetime format

Kurt_Bremser — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 15:29:34 GMT

Look at the E8601 family of formats, they implement the ISO 8601 norm.

@jjjch wrote:

All existing SAS datetime formats, as for as I know, is not easy for me to read.

Such as 1447213759 datetime with datetime21.2 format will be shown as 10NOV2005:03:49:19.00.

And I have to define a new format as below to make it looks like 2005-11-10 03:49:19.

PROC FORMAT;
picture MyDT other='%0Y-%0m-%0d %0H:%0M:%0S' (datatype=datetime);
RUN;

Then I will have to define the format in all my sas codes, otherwise, the dataset I created with this format will not be shown correctly.

I really want to know why SAS does not create a more readable datetime format like the one above.

Re: readable datetime format

ballardw — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 15:46:07 GMT

Put the Format in a permanent library and then have that library in the format search path.

Or put the code into the autoexec.sas so it is available in every session.