topic Re: Format Output in SAS Procedures

Format Output

lernenanytime — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 20:49:01 GMT

Hi There,

Why I am getting output like below 'ffffff'?

Re: Format Output

Quentin — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 21:52:12 GMT

I assume that's what you see in the listing output?

SAS is trying to draw lines for the table (think ASCII Art), but it's using characters (or a font?) your computer doesn't seem to like.

There is a system option, formchar, which allows you to specify the characters used to draw ASCII lines, try:

options formchar="|----|+|---+=|-/\<>*" ;

https://documentation.sas.com/doc/en/pgmsascdc/9.4_3.5/lesysoptsref/n0b0m78j9u41s6n1t6t217rkq4sk.htm

Or if you generate output as HTML or some other format, you shouldn't have this problem.

Re: Format Output

ballardw — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 21:58:18 GMT

Try changing your default font in SAS to the "SAS Monospace" font.

The reason is a combination of the SAS FORMCHAR option setting in your system and the font displaying the characters.

Underlying reason is, I suspect, a disagreement between IBM and Microsoft on fonts in the early days of the PC. The character choice would display as nice box lines with an IBM font but all the Microsoft designed fonts redefine or removed the box drawing characters. The SAS Monospace font follows the old IBM spec.

Re: Format Output

lernenanytime — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 22:12:22 GMT

It works perfectly.