SAS sql remove format

[GeorgeSAS]

Hello everyone,

How I can remove variable y's format in proc sql?

proc sql noprint;

create table two as

select x,  y format=_null_ from one;

quit;

Thanks

[BrunoMueller]

Hi George

Proc SQL expects a format name in the syntax, you could use a generic one like BEST. for numeric values. In order to remove a format from a variable, you can use Proc DATASETS.

Something like

proc datasets lib=work nolist;

  modify two;

    format y;

run;

  contents data=two;

run;

quit;

Will work

[Tom]

No, one of the limitations of way that PROC SQL supports formats.

Now you could trick SAS into thinking you have created a NEW variable so not have the format (or the label for that matter) carried forward.

select x, y+0 as y ....

[brucehughw]

Will the trick you suggest work for character variables? I have all sorts of airport codes, e.g. KBOS maps to 'Logan International ...', but

sometimes I just want KBOS, so that I can save that in a macro variable that I later use as an argument to a macro.

Thanks, Bruce

[Reeza]

Use a plain jane character format.
Format=$50.

[brucehughw]

Ah, so easy. Thanks!