Code Formatter

[Prasad]

is there some advice for "code formatter/beautifier", to help line-up the SAS
code, to improve readability in SAS?

[Doc_Duke]

Upgrade to EGuide 4.3. there is one built in to it. Check the SAS/Dummy blog archives for an article on it.

http://blogs.sas.com/sasdummy/

[ChrisHemedinger]

Specific topics on the blog:

http://blogs.sas.com/sasdummy/index.php?/archives/188-Hope-for-ugly-programs.html

http://blogs.sas.com/sasdummy/index.php?/archives/233-The-SAS-code-formatter-more-than-a-pretty-face...

Enjoy!

Chris

[SPR]

Hello Chris,

BTW, I found that Ctrl+I does not format proc SQL.

Sincerely,
SPR

[ChrisHemedinger]

It should format PROC SQL, at least with basic indentation.

For me, it turns this:
[pre]
proc sql;
create table work.out as
select age,
(height/weight) as ratio
from sashelp.class where age>12;
quit;
[/pre]

into this:
[pre]
proc sql;
create table work.out as
select age,
(height/weight) as ratio
from sashelp.class where age>12;
quit;
[/pre]

[SPR]

Hello Chris,

This is a real life example. I've got this code from a macro that produces SQL code in LOG (options mprint):
[pre]
proc SQL;
create view pd as
select
case
when dlq = 1 and iltv=0 and RB < 555 then 100*1+0 when dlq = 1 and iltv=0 and
555 <= RB < 634 then 100*1+1 when dlq = 1 and iltv=0 and 634 <= RB < 672 then 100*1+2 when dlq = 1 and iltv=0 and 672 <= RB then
100*1+3 when dlq = 1 and iltv=1 and RB < 558 then 100*1+50+0 when dlq = 1 and iltv=1 and 558 <= RB < 644 then 100*1+50+1 when dlq =
1 and iltv=1 and 644 <= RB < 707 then 100*1+50+2 when dlq = 1 and iltv=1 and 707 <= RB < 732 then 100*1+50+3 when dlq = 1 and
iltv=1 and 732 <= RB then 100*1+50+4 when dlq = 2 and iltv=0 and RB < 646 then 100*2+0 when dlq = 2 and iltv=0 and 646 <= RB then
100*2+1 when dlq = 2 and iltv=1 and RB < 556 then 100*2+50+0 when dlq = 2 and iltv=1 and 556 <= RB < 631 then 100*2+50+1 when dlq =
2 and iltv=1 and 631 <= RB then 100*2+50+2 when dlq = 3 then 100*dlq when dlq = 4 then 100*dlq when dlq > 4 then 500 else 999
end as pnam label="RC75 RB Pools",
date, SUM(PD*N) as Nb, SUM(N) as N,
SUM(PD*N)/SUM(N)*10000 as bps label="PD, bps" format=6.1,
SUM(Bal) as Bal format 15.0
from _w.ds75_&t
group by date, pnam
order by date, pnam
;quit;
[/pre]
Automatic identation does not help in this case. All Case clauses are messed.
Sincerely,
SPR

[ChrisHemedinger]

Thanks for the example. No, the formatter doesn't dive deep into these constructs (such as CASE). But I'll pass this on to the development team!

Chris

[LukeDalton]

Long time, but has anything come of this? Auto-formatting SQL syntax would make the Formatting feature so much more useful. I regularly use Poor SQL - Instant Free and Open-Source T-SQL Formatting to do this task, but the tool does not handle ampersand (macro) references or comments well at all.