Proc Mixed Solutions for fixed effects

[bradheins10]

In PROC MIXED "solutions for Fixed Effects" SAS sets the last variable to zero. How do I determine the actual value of this class variable?

[PaigeMiller]

All SAS modeling procedures do this. You need to understand that with classification effects, there is no unique set of coefficients and intercept; there are an infinite number of solutions that give the exact same model fit and model predictions.

So it is relatively meaningless to ask what the actual value of the coefficient for a particular level is.

The more relevant questions are:

1. is there a difference between the coefficients of the levels? (which will produce a unique answer); and
2. what are the mean values/least squares mean values of a response for a given level of the classification variable? (which will produce a unique answer)