Proc Format

[JasonNC]

Hi,

I am using a format for some counties

PROC FORMAT;

  VALUE  $ CNTYSTAT

  '01' - '99' = 'KNOWN '

  OTHER = 'UNKNOWN'

  ;

  RUN;

The problem i am having is

if the county has code like 01A then also it is printing as known.

If the county code is like 01A then it should print it as unknown.

[Astounding]

Jason,

If that's what you want to get, then the problem is that you created a character format.  As character strings, both of these comparisons are true:

'01' < '01A'

'01A' < '99'

So 01A is in range, and prints as KNOWN.  Even a character string like '255' would fall within the KNOWN range.

Fixing the problem is another story.  First, create a numeric format instead of a character format.  If it's a matter of selecting observations, then select with:

if put( input(county_code, ??3.), cntystat.) = 'KNOWN';

But if it's just a matter of printing, you will need to create a numeric version of COUNTY_CODE, such as:

county_code_num = input(county_code, ??3.);

The ?? will suppress messages about invalid numeric data when you process values such as 01A.

Good luck.

[Haikuo]

Jason,

Basically like Astounding said, there is no clean-cut solution. You will have to either create another variable like option1 or lay out all of the possibilities using Macro like option2:

/*Option1*/

data have;

input a$;

b=ifc(lengthn(a)<=2, compress(a,,'kd'), 'ZZZ');

format b $cntystat10.;

cards;

01

0A

02

100

10A

;

run;

proc print;run;

/*Option2*/

%macro test;

PROC FORMAT;

  value $ CNTYSTAT

  %let zi=01;

  %do i=2 %to 99;

  %let zi=&zi,%sysfunc(putn(&i,z2.));

%end; &zi = 'KNOWN'

  OTHER = 'UNKNOWN'

  ;

  RUN;

%mend;

%test

Haikuo

[Ksharp]

Another way is to make a format on your own .

data have;
input a $;
cards;
01
0A
02
100
10A
;
run;


data fmt;
retain fmtname 'cntystat'  type 'C' ;
 do i=1 to 99;
  start=put(i,z2.); label='KNOW  ';
  output;
 end;
 hlo='o';start=' ';label='UNKNOW';output;
 drop i;
run;
  
proc format cntlin=fmt;
run;

data want;
 set have;
 format a $cntystat8. ;
run;

Ksharp

[ChrisNZ]

You can do pretty much anything now with formats since you can use functions in 9.3.

Example:

proc fcmp outlib=sasuser.test.func32;

  function knownzip(ZIP $) $;

    return(trim(ifc('01'<=ZIP<='99' and length(ZIP)=2, 'KWOWN', 'UNKNOWN')));

  endsub;

run;

options cmplib=sasuser.test;

proc format ;

  value $ knownzip other=[knownzip()];

run;

data _null_;

  A='01 '; put A $knownzip.;

  A='01A'; put A $knownzip.;

run;

KWOWN

UNKNOWN

NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):

      real time           0.00 seconds

      cpu time            0.00 seconds