Format questions

[MarcTC]

What is F10.4 format? I can't find any web page in SAS explaining this format.


Second, a dataset has user defined formats attached to some variables. How to "decode" these user defined formats?


Thanks in advance!

[deleted_user]

Hi, MarcTC.
for qustion 2;
you can specify 'format (var);'
here's a example.
data test;
input a @@;
format a dollar5.1;
cards;
1 2 3
;
run;
proc print;
run;
data akari;
set test;
format a;
run;

[sbb]

Decoding a user-defined SAS format: check the PROC FORMAT documentation, you have either CNTLOUT= (then PROC PRINT) or more simply you can use FMTLIB to print the contents of a SAS format.

Scott Barry
SBBWorks, Inc.

Suggested Google advanced search argument, this topic / post:

proc format fmtlib site:sas.com

[MarcTC]

I only have a SAS dataset, no original Catalog which created the user-defined formats used in the dataset. Isn't FMTLIB only applied for Catalog only?

Here is a more detailed description about my dataset:

The data looks like:

Student Rank
Tom Top 10
Mary Top 20
Joe Top 10
Nancy Top 30

Rank is a numeric variable, but associated with a user-defined format. That is why you see those strings Top 10, Top 20.. when viewing the dataset. I want to know what are the underlying numeric values corresponding to each string. That is what I meant by "decoding a format".

[Cynthia_sas]

Ah, that's not how I interpreted "decode". To "remove" a user-defined format for the purpose of running a report, you can use a NULL format statement, such as shown below. Basically, you list the variable on a FORMAT statement and then do NOT put a format name after the variable name.

cynthia
[pre]
proc print data=mydata;
format rank;
run;
[/pre]

[MarcTC]

Hmm...you still don't get what I mean.


Suppose:

Rank=1 => being formated as "Top 10"
Rnak=2 => being formated as "Top 20"
Rank=3 => being formated as "Top 30"
....

I want to find out this relationship/mapping.

[Cynthia_sas]

That's what FMTLIB does -- it shows the mapping from the values to the label. If the FMTLIB is being used when you do a PROC PRINT (and the format shows up in a PROC CONTENTS), then FMTLIB will show the mapping, not exactly in the form you show, but close enough.

cynthia

[MarcTC]

You are smarter and can read the SAS syntax page.


I tried several different combinations and nothing works. One of them is:

proc format library=work.mydataset fmtlib;
select $rank;
run;

[Cynthia_sas]

Hi:

OK..for your SAS dataset. If you run PROC CONTENTS, do you see that $RANK is listed as the format???

If yes, then try:
library=library or
library=work

in your PROC FORMAT statement. The chances are good that your folks who built the format took the default and stored the user defined format in a format catalog called "LIBRARY" or in "WORK" -- I know, it seems redundant to have LIBRARY=LIBRARY, but that's one of the "simple" ways that folks have defined their own format catalogs over the years.

You cannot put your dataset name in the LIBRARY= option.

If you run a PROC CONTENTS and do NOT see $RANK listed as the format being used for the field, then it is probable that the format used to create the RANK variable might not be available to you.

cynthia

[Robert_Bardos]

Shouldn't the OP be looking for the numeric format RANK much rather?

I.e.

....
select rank ;

[Cynthia_sas]

A PROC CONTENTS should tell him whether the format is character or numeric and whether there is a format in current use. That's why I keep asking whether he's run PROC CONTENTS.

cynthia

[Ksharp]

Hi.
proc format + cnlout option to output the format contents into a dataset.
I remember it has mentioned by Art C at before post.


Ksharp

[data_null__]

> What is F10.4 format? I can't find any web page in
> SAS explaining this format.

It appears that F is the name of the format most know as w.d

[pre]
203 data _null_;
204 x = 1;
205 format x 10.4;
206 format = vformat(x);
207 put 'NOTE: ' format=;
208 run;

NOTE: format=F10.4
[/pre]

[Cynthia_sas]

Hi:
As it shows here:
http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/lrdict/63026/HTML/default/viewer.htm#a000199377.htm

The "F" format is an alias for the simple w.d (width/decimal) that can be applied to numeric variables.

The whole list of formats by category is here:
http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/lrdict/63026/HTML/default/viewer.htm#a001263753.htm

To see a list of all the user-defined formats (or selected ones) stored in a format library, use the FMTLIB option with PROC FORMAT:
http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/proc/61895/HTML/default/viewer.htm#a002473464.htm

cynthia