completetypes+preloadfmt vs completetypes?

[Tal]

Hi all,

These 2 codes below give me the same results.

What actually is preloadfmt here spposed to do?

What difference is supposed to make?

proc summary data=mylib.testo  completetypes chartype ;

class sex/preloadfmt ;

var height weight;

output out=new max=/autoname;

format sex $gender.;proc print;run;

proc format ;

value $gender 'F'='Female'

             'M'='Male'; run;

VS.

proc summary data=mylib.testo  completetypes chartype ;

class sex ;

var height weight;

output out=new max=/autoname;

format sex $gender.;proc print;run;

proc format ;

value $gender 'F'='Female'

             'M'='Male';

             run;

[data_null__ · Accepted solution]

You need to create the format before you use it.

PRELOADFMT allows you to use the format to create something from nothing.   As a test add a level to the 'X'='OTHER' and see what happens.

[Tal]

sorry,what you mean by create the format before you use it?

I already had a  format below my code.

So yes, with preloadfmt "other" appears in my result eventhough 'X' is nowhere in my inputted data but then why worry about "x" or anyhting that is not in my  data?

[Tal]

oh so you are saying in case we want to show a classification level in the outputs  that is not in the data then we use prleoadfmt?

[ballardw]

One use, also preloadfmt works in some procedures such as Tabulate that do not have completetypes (actually no types). Completetypes only works in proc means or summary.

[Tal]

thank you both