topic Re: Issue with proc format in SAS Software for Learning Community

Issue with proc format

junya___08 — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 23:55:52 GMT

I would like to ask for help because proc format does not work for some reasons. I think there is no syntax error and log does not show any errors and warnings.

The screenshot is the result of proc print statement AFTER assigning the format. Is there possible reason for it? What should I check to debug?

proc format;
picture NewDate (default=19)
low-high = '%a.%B.%0d.%0y' (datatype=date);
run;

proc sort data=pg3.storm_final out=work.storm_final;
by descending StartDate;
run;

title 'Detail Storm Report by Descending Start Date';
proc print data=work.storm_final;
var Name BasinName StartDate EndDate MaxWindMPH MinPressure;
format StartDate EndDate NewDate.;
run;
title;

Re: Issue with proc format

whymath — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 02:17:51 GMT

I can get wanted result by your code. Maybe you need to restart yours SAS session to eliminate potential errors.

Re: Issue with proc format

Tom — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 02:34:45 GMT

You did not describe why the output is wrong?

Not sure what you mean by the statement:

The screenshot is the result of proc print statement AFTER assigning the format.

The code you shared does not attach the format to the variable in the dataset. It only asks that the NEWDATE. format be used in the PROC PRINT step. If you then try to print that dataset again without including the FORMAT statement again the date variables will print using whatever format was attached to them when they were copied from the permanent dataset in the PG3 libref to the temporary dataset in the WORK library by the PROC SORT step..