Random characters in PHREG output

Kastchei — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 21:18:04 GMT

Has anyone else experienced this issue and/or found a solution?

When producing the output (either listing, ODS PDF, ODS HTML), I get stray random characters at the end of some variable values. It happens with all output destinations, whether just that desitination or at the same time as the others. It seems to affect only formatted variables or character variables. The characters are no the same each time. I can run back-to-back the exact same code and get different random characters are the end of the variable values Here is an example:

proc pHReg data = aq alpha = 0.05 simple;

format raceOWCd marrieCd yesNo.;

class raceOWCd (ref = 'No' order = internal param = ordinal)

ethnicCd (ref = '2' order = internal param = ordinal)

eduCd (ref = '4' order = internal param = ordinal)

marrieCd (ref = 'No' order = internal param = ordinal)

q2_2a (ref = 'Decrease' order = internal param = ordinal)

q2_3 (ref = 'Never' order = internal param = ordinal)

q2_5 (ref = 'Never' order = internal param = ordinal)

q2_7 (ref = 'No' order = internal param = ordinal)

q3_1a (ref = 'No' order = internal param = ordinal)

q3_8 (ref = 'Never' order = internal param = ordinal)

q3_9 (ref = 'No' order = internal param = ordinal);

model stDayLU*discTrCd(0) = raceOWCd ethnicCd eduCd marrieCd q2_2a q2_3 q2_5 q2_7 q3_1a q3_8 q3_9 q3_11 / riskLimits alpha = 0.05 ties = exact;

run;

The output includes the following. The last variable clipped has a format in the dataset itself.

Analysis of Maximum Likelihood Estimates

Parameter Standard Hazard 95% Hazard Ratio

Parameter DF Estimate Error Chi-Square Pr > ChiSq Ratio Confidence Limits

raceOWCd Yes ˆo÷ 1 0.15007 0.35380 0.1799 0.6714 . . .

ethnicCd 2 1 -0.14444 0.45423 0.1011 0.7505 . . .

eduCd 2 1 -0.25647 0.46528 0.3038 0.5815 . . .

eduCd 3 1 -0.04013 0.46556 0.0074 0.9313 . . .

eduCd 4 1 0.11524 0.45641 0.0638 0.8007 . . .

marrieCd Yes èÙQ 1 -0.31178 0.38700 0.6490 0.4205 . . .

q2_2a No change 1 -0.89605 0.42731 4.3972 0.0360 . . .

q2_2a Increase 1 -0.46923 0.63492 0.5462 0.4599 . . .

q2_3 Sometimes 1 1.17890 0.39634 8.8474 0.0029 . . .

q2_3 Always 1 -1.74453 1.09448 2.5406 0.1110 . . .

q2_5 Sometimes 1 -0.14679 0.38059 0.1488 0.6997 . . .

q2_5 Always 1 0.47530 0.53165 0.7992 0.3713 . . .

q2_7 Yes 1 -0.10795 0.45640 0.0559 0.8130 . . .

q3_1a Yes ÿÿ 1 0.23051 0.38503 0.3584 0.5494 . . .

The odd thing is that if I replace the two formatted variables with actual character variables, I still get odd results.

Analysis of Maximum Likelihood Estimates

Parameter Label

raceOW Yes èr÷ Flag: Only White Race Yes

ethnicCd 2 Ethnicity Code 1

eduCd 2 Highest Level of Education Code 1

eduCd 3 Highest Level of Education Code 2

eduCd 4 Highest Level of Education Code 3

married Yes ˜›÷ Flag: Currently Married Yes

q2_2a No change Q2.2a: Change in sexual pleasure No change

q2_2a Increase Q2.2a: Change in sexual pleasure Increase

q2_3 Sometimes Q2.3: Feel CVR during sex Sometimes

q2_3 Always Q2.3: Feel CVR during sex Always

q2_5 Sometimes Q2.5: Partner feel CVR during sex Sometimes

q2_5 Always Q2.5: Partner feel CVR during sex Always

q2_7 Yes Q2.7: Remove CVR before sex Yes

q3_1a Yes ÿÿ Q3.1a: Previous tampon use Yes

Random characters in PHREG output

Doc_Duke — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:40:09 GMT

This may be worth opening a track with tech support.

However, I suspect that these characters are not "random" but are non-printing characters in the font from the data input stream that PHREG is trying to render. You can potentially debug this by looking at the input data with a hex editor.

Doc Muhlbaier

Duke

topic Random characters in PHREG output in Statistical Procedures

Random characters in PHREG output

Random characters in PHREG output