topic Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats in SAS Procedures

Proc Format to create user defined formats

SASFNG — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:46:59 GMT

I am receiving a syntax error with the following Race format. Can you please provide some guidance?

Race is numeric and must remain numeric.

proc format;

value Race

Caucasian = 'White'

Black,Asian,not entered,other ='Other';

proc freq data=combine;

tables Doselot Wt_Cat Race*Weight / nocum;

format Race Race.;

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

art297 — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:10:54 GMT

It is a character field, thus you have to precede the format name with a $ e.g.,

proc format;

value $Race

Caucasian = 'White'

Black,Asian,not entered,other ='Other';

run;

proc freq data=combine;

tables Doselot Wt_Cat Race*Weight / nocum;

format Race $Race.;

run;

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

Astounding — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:14:06 GMT

In addition, consider ...

You'll need quotes around values that get translated:

value $Race

'Caucasian' = 'White'

'Black', 'Asian', 'not entered', other='Other';

What does "not entered" mean? Does it mean that RACE actually contains the characters "not entered" or does it mean RACE is blank?

What does "other" mean? Does it mean that RACE actually contains the characters "other" or does it mean that RACE contains something else such as Hispanic?

Capitalization is important. The format will look for an exact match between the format definition and the data values for RACE.

All of these issues can affect how you code the VALUE statement.

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

Astounding — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:19:02 GMT

On the other hand ...

If RACE is really numeric, you need to know what values it actually takes on. Certainly a numeric variable can't take on values like "Caucasian". Code the actual values (not the formatted translations) in the VALUE statement:

value Race

1 = 'White'

2, 3, other='Other';

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

ballardw — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:40:51 GMT

I thought the quotes on the source were required but not so when I tested with SAS 9.2

I'm familiar with several data sources that will export a text field of 'not entered' or similar when an option button or other widget in a data base is not activated or no choice made from a group. Ugly but true.

I usually use an infomat to make these a numeric so I can assign things like 'not entered' to missing as 'Other', at least with my data sources race codes means either multi-racial or a respondant insisted on something other than the planned single racial codes.

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

Astounding — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 21:30:31 GMT

Interesting. I tried it under 9.3 and got the same results ... quotes are not needed.

Just to explore, I tried defining the format in two ways:

other='Other'

'other'='Other'

Without the quotes around other, it was treated as all other values not defined by the format. Adding the quotes around other limited that category to just the letters "other".

FWIW

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

SASFNG — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 22:50:55 GMT

In a previous formatting statement I created the numeric value of Race
proc format;

value Race

1 = 'Caucasian'

2 = 'Black'

etc. so it is a numeric variable. I even double checked in the variables properties.

And, yes 'Not Entered' and 'Other' are actual characters in the Race value.

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

art297 — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 22:53:45 GMT

Maybe you can teach me/us something: How does one enter 'Not Entered' into a numeric field?

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

TashaChapman — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 23:08:46 GMT

Whether the format is character or numeric is based on the source data, not the output value. If the incoming source data is character, than the format name should begin with a $. If the incoming source data is numeric, then the format name should not begin with a $, but the values to the left of the = should be actual numbers. What you have listed in your original post is a mix of these two, so you can see why people are confused.

Also, creating a format with PROC Format, does not actually associate the format with any given variable. It merely creates a template that can be used later. So when you say that you "created the numeric value of Race" using a previous PROC Format, that's not actually accurate.

So, if the original input data is numeric then you might use this format:

proc format;

value Race

1= 'White'

other ='Other';

However, if the original input data is character then you might use this format:

proc format;

value $Race

Caucasian = 'White'

other = 'Other';

Also, be aware that character formats are case sensitive...

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

Peter_C — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 23:15:52 GMT

if the field is controlled by a SAS application (I recall them using informats), these can tolerate values that appear to be non-numeric. These non-numeric values wou;ld be treated and assigned special numeric values, or even special missing values - all with no fuss.

I do not know if such fuctionality has been extended to html or java applications

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

SASFNG — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 23:16:17 GMT

Sorry, I was trying to save time. I am aware that it is just a template to activate later. and it is not other='other' it really is .='other'. The source data is numeric. The original formating

1 = 'Causian' etc kept it numeric
Let's ignore the 'not entered' for now. I think that is supposed to be other. I will have to double check later. My problem now is now to convert a numeric 'Caucasian' to 'White'.

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

SASFNG — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 23:19:30 GMT

I seriously doubt I could teach you anything...relating to SAS. I am sure this is my error.

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

art297 — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 23:25:35 GMT

You would be surprised. NONE of us know everything about SAS! And I would include the developers, as well, in that comment.

Even after 40 years of using SAS, I am still learning new things every day.

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

SASFNG — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 23:28:25 GMT

As a newbie, that scares me.

But, I think I get it. Even though I previously applied and activated a format, the original numeric values for Race are still there and I should use those again?

1 = 'White'

2, 3, 4 = 'other'?

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

art297 — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 23:31:33 GMT

You have caught my attention and may be teaching me something today. Are you saying that character fields, that contain some kind of special numeric value, wouldn't require a character format?

If so, please point me in the direction of what to read.

Thanks,

Art

p.s. Are you going to be at SGF this year?

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

TashaChapman — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 23:36:53 GMT

That is 100% correct. Formats, even formats applied to a variable in a DATA step and part of the dataset attributes, do not change the underlying values of the variable. So even if it prints as "Caucasian" the unformmatted value should still be 1. This unformmatted value is what you need to use in your new format statement.

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

art297 — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 23:44:41 GMT

Yes! As for my comment, don't be scarred. That is what makes SAS such a useful language. There are always new features, procs and functions being added, which is what makes it the powerful tool that it has been all these years.

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

SASFNG — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 23:52:26 GMT

Thanks everyone for all your help! I really appreciate it.

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

SASFNG — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 23:53:57 GMT

How do I mark this as answered? Or do you guys do that?

Re: Proc Format to create user defined formats

Peter_C — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 00:13:52 GMT

Art

an informat can convert a string into a number

Which informat is appropriate for these?

1.2

1:2

01-02-03

?????????

Well, all could be read with either 8. or $8. or anydttme. - not always with a useful result

But they are all typed into a box as characters

another example

age-not-admitted

used to be a special string for date-of-birth, when a lady's modesty was "tolerated" by insurance companies

And in SAS we would use a special informat accepting that string as .N and other strings were informatted by the DATE informat

value anadate 'age-not-admitted' = .N other =[date9.] ;

See you in SASGF

(not long now!)

(for completing 2 papers and presentations

peterC