Check format with date

[Lorenzom]

Dear All.

I've a big question.

I'm using SAS 9.3, I've a Macr that I use to check the formats of each variable in a dataset.

This is the Macro:

%macro check_format(lib, ds, var, comp);
  proc sql noprint;
  select informat into: fLength
  from dictionary.columns
  where libname = upcase("&lib") and memname = upcase("&ds") and upcase(name) = upcase("&var");
  quit;
  run;
  %put This is fLength;
  %put &fLength.;
  %if (&comp ^= &fLength) %then %do;
  data _null_;
  put "ERROR: Format of &var is not = &comp, is &fLength ";
  call symput('content_check_STOP','1');
  run;
  %end;
%mend check_format;

If I use this Macro with these paramenters doesn't work:

%check_format(&lib, &dsInOut, SMPLDATE, yymmddn8.);

or:

%check_format(&lib, &dsInOut, SMPLTIME, tod5.);

but the dataset format is correct.

The error that i get is:

ERROR: Format of SMPLDATE is not = yymmddn8., is       

It seems that select informat returns ''.

Could you please help me? Thank you very much.

[LinusH · Accepted solution]

You say "format is correct", but you are selecting informat....?

Classic troubleshooting, best done by yourself.

Take the SQL, run it outside your macro, put the result in a table instead of macro variable etc...

[Lorenzom]

Thank you very much.

With select format now works.... you are the best.

Thank you again.

[Loko]

hello,

the sql returns CAPITAL LETTERS - YYMMDDN8. therefore you need to compare the same things.

You have 2 options:

1) either change the macro -   %if (%upcase(&comp) ^= &fLength) %then %do;

or

2) call the macro with capital letters for the last variable

%check_format(&lib, &dsInOut, SMPLDATE, YYMMDDN8.);