Put Function: Odd syntax -1

[_JonT]

SAS 9.2

Been looking through some old code and came across this syntax:

data _null_;

x=put(today(), date9. -l);

put x;

run;

The Put function has an odd -1 in it. As far as I can tell it does nothing. But there is nothing in the help about this. In my mind it should syntax error but it doesn't.

I want to convert to EG (SAS 9.4) and use the prompt manager and default macro variable values which result.

So what is it and is I leave it out what's the result?

[PeterClemmensen · Accepted solution]

It is not a minus 1 (one). It is -L, which left aligns the value.

You can read about it in the PUT Function Documentation.