formats when exporting to SPSS

[karlbang]

I exported a data set to SPSS. Had to change

proc format;
	value degree 1=GOOD 2-5=POOR;
run;

into

proc format;
	value degree 1=GOOD 2=POOR 3=POOR 4=POOR 5=POOR;
run;

in order to get the formatted variable displayed correctly in SPSS. Any clue why ?

I used

proc export 
	data=sasuser.hernior(keep=(patient age PSTAT LOS))
	outfile='p:\public_html\SPSS\hernior.sav' 
	dbms=spss
	replace;
run;

(dbms=sav does not change results).

[Tom · Accepted solution]

I think that PROC EXPORT does not know how to translate ranges of values into the individual records.  Either SPSS does not support applying the same "label" (decode) to multiple values, or PROC EXPORT doesn't know how to generate that syntax. 

Part of the problem is that to SAS 2-5 includes ALL values from 2 to 5, not just the integer values you used in your second format.  So a value like 2.5 or 4.3 would also be displayed as POOR.

You can save yourself some typing:

proc format;
	value degree 1='GOOD' 2,3,4,5='POOR';
run;

[karlbang]

Thank you for the reply