Adding SAS format to existing catalog

[Neeta]

Hi all,

I'm working on a program where I want to add a format to existing format catalog i.e. I see a format catalog myformats.sas7bcat but I dont know which program creates that catalog. As most of the programs in my project already use that catalog using fmtsearch option, I want to add my new format to the same catalog.

Thanks in advance!

[RW9]

So, you don't know where that is created, and that format catalog is used by other things.  Are you sure you want to be updating it?  I would really advise to find out more about what creates that, where, etc. as overwriting it may cause problems.

[ballardw · Accepted solution]

If you want to add a format to a specific catalog then reference it the LIBRARY option in Proc Format.

proc format library=work.myformat;
value y
1 = '10'
other= 'something else';
;
run;

If the catalog does not exist the code will create the catalob myformat in the work library.

If the format Y does not exist in the catalog myformat in the Work library it will be added to the catalog.

If the format Y does exist in the catalog myformat in the Work library then, assuming no error, the new format Y replaces the old one.

[Neeta]

Thank you!

[rogerjdeangelis]

Copying individual prebuilt formats from one format catalog to another +goodies

inspired by
https://goo.gl/N24fhV
https://communities.sas.com/t5/Base-SAS-Programming/Adding-SAS-format-to-existing-catalog/m-p/341634


HAVE ( Two prebuilt formats in separate catalogs)
==================================================

   Contents of Catalog WORK.CAT1ST

#    Name         Type
--------------------------
1    CAT1STFMT    FORMATC


   Contents of Catalog WORK.CAT2ND

#    Name         Type
---------------------------
1    CAT2NDFMT    INFMT



WANT  (both formats in catalog cat2nd)
======================================

  Contents of Catalog WORK.CAT2ND

#    Name         Type
---------------------------
1    CAT1STFMT    FORMATC
2    CAT2NDFMT    INFMT


WORKING CODE
===========

copy in=work.cat1st out=work.cat2nd ;
select cat1stfmt/entrytype=formatc;

FULL SOLUTION
=============

* just in case the catalogs exist then delete them;
proc datasets library=work memtype=(catalog);
delete cat1st / memtype=catalog;
delete cat2nd / memtype=catalog;
run;

* create three catalogs and combine them;
proc format library=work.cat1st;
  value $cat1stfmt
  'F' = 'Female'
  'M' = 'Male';
run;quit;

proc format library=work.cat2nd;
  invalue cat2ndfmt
  'F' = 1
  'M' = 2;
run;quit;

*Copy cat1stfmt to catalog cat2nd;
proc catalog ;
   copy in=work.cat1st out=work.cat2nd ;
   select cat1stfmt/entrytype=formatc;
run;quit;

*                      _ _
  __ _  ___   ___   __| (_) ___  ___
 / _` |/ _ \ / _ \ / _` | |/ _ \/ __|
| (_| | (_) | (_) | (_| | |  __/\__ \
 \__, |\___/ \___/ \__,_|_|\___||___/
 |___/
;

* add discriptions;
proc catalog cat=work.cat2nd;
  modify cat1stfmt.formatc (
    description="m->male f->female");
  modify cat2ndfmt.infmt (
    description="m->2 f->1");
run;quit;

/*
NOTE: Copying entry CAT1STFMT.FORMATC from catalog WORK.CAT1ST to catalog WORK.CAT2ND.
*/

* verify descriptions;
proc catalog cat=work.cat2nd;
contents;
run;quit;

/*
#    Name         Type     Description
--------------------------------------------
1    CAT1STFMT    FORMATC  m->male f->female
2    CAT2NDFMT    INFMT    m->2 f->1
*/


* liat all formats;
proc format fmtlib library=work.formats;
run;quit;

/* delete individual format entries */
proc catalog catalog=work.formats;
delete win2unx.formatc;
delete win2unx.format;
delete win2unx.infmt;
run;quit;

/* delete catalogs */
proc datasets library=work memtype=(catalog);
delete cat1st / memtype=catalog;
delete cat2nd / memtype=catalog;
delete cat3rd / memtype=catalog;
run;