topic Re: Proc SQL ignores formats that are not loaded, without producing an error in SAS Enterprise Guide

Proc SQL ignores formats that are not loaded, without producing an error

agoldma — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 17:41:30 GMT

SAS-EG version 5.1

In SAS-EG, the data step gives an error, but proc sql doesn't.

In SAS-EG, proc sql just ignores those formats that are not loaded and outputs unformatted data

Is this by design?

Is there a system option or a preference that would show this kind of an error?

(I couldn't find one)

Proc sql in Base SAS gives an error, saying that the format could not be loaded -- in both data step and proc SQL.

Sample code (first format is real, second format is fake but doesn't produce an error in SAS-EG)

proc sql;

select height format=comma10.5 as ht1

,height format=comet10.5 as ht2

from sashelp.class

;quit;

ChrisHemedinger — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 17:46:31 GMT

EG sets the NOFMTERR option, which controls the behavior you're seeing. See background here:

You can change this by submitting OPTIONS FMTERR; in your program, reversing the default behavior set by EG at startup.

Chris

agoldma — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 18:14:39 GMT

Thank you very much for pointing me to the FMTERR option.

I should've looked a little further -- to system options, not just SQL options

My small confusion is that SAS-EG does produce a format error in the data step -- just not in proc sql -- that's why I was looking for an sql option.

Thank you for instructions on viewing the initialization log. This is nice to know.