Unicode character will not display in sgplot output

[fastb]

Hi,

I need to have unicode character 3251 (circled number 21) appear as a symbol on a graph in sgplot.

However, an open square appears on the graph instead of the circled 21 when I create the graph.

It appears that this is happening because the font I am using does not support that unicode character.

I tried sevral different fonts and nothing worked.

Is there a specific font that I need to use for this, or are ther any other solutions?

Thanks!

[ballardw]

Where is it supposed to appear? Title text, axis label, axis tickmark label, data label in the body of the graph?

Show the actual code and/or value of the variable that you are using.

Depending on your current SAS session settings and where you want to use the value you may have to have a value like

(*ESC*){unicode <codevalue>}

which sometimes means creating a new variable that is longer to hold all those characters and may require the value to be in hex notation such as {unicode '03B2'x} which is the greek letter beta

[fastb]

Hi ballardw,

The characters need to appear as marker symbols in the body of the graph.

Below is the code where I used symbolchar to create the each symbol with the unicode character.

This works fine for the symbols with numbers 1 through 20. 

However, starting with 21 it is a different charcater code set and everything 21 and above does not work.

Thanks!

PROC SGPLOT DATA = map_coordinates noborder nowall NOAUTOLEGEND NOCYCLEATTRS sganno = annoImage;
TITLE;
YAXIS grid gridattrs = (color = black) display = (noline nolabel noticks novalues) values=(0 to 100 by 5);
XAXIS grid gridattrs = (color = black) display =(noline nolabel noticks novalues) values=(0 to 100 by 5);
symbolchar name=one char='2460'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=two char='2461'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=three char='2462'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=four char='2463'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=five char='2464'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=six char='2465'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=seven char='2466'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=eight char='2467'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=nine char='2468'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=ten char='2469'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=eleven char='246A'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=twelve char='246B'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=thirteen char='246C'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=fourteen char='246D'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=fifteen char='246E'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=sixteen char='246F'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=seventeen char='2470'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=eighteen char='2471'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=nineteen char='2472'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=twenty char='2473'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=twentyone char='3251'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=twentytwo char='3252'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=twentytheree char='3253'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=twentyfour char='3254'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=twentyfive char='3255'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
symbolchar name=twentysix char='3256'x / textattrs = (weight = bold);
styleattrs datasymbols = (
one
two
three
four
five
six
seven
eight
nine
ten
eleven
twelve
thirteen
fourteen
fifteen
sixteen
seventeen
eighteen
nineteen
twenty
twentyone
twentytwo
twentythree
twentyfour
twentyfive
twentysix
);

SCATTER x = X_Coordinate y = Y_Coordinate/
markerattrs = (size = 16) group = site_number nomissinggroup name = 'sites';
yaxis min=0 max=100 /*grid values=(0 to 100 by 5)*/ offsetmin=0 offsetmax=0 display= none;
xaxis min=0 max=100 /*grid values=(0 to 100 by 5)*/ offsetmin=0 offsetmax=0 display=none;
run; quit; ods listing close;

[ballardw]

I think you are running into this from the Symbolchar statement online help:

Tip

This statement attempts to access the specified Unicode value in the current font. Some fonts do not support accessing characters by using their Unicode value. Other fonts support only a limited set of Unicode values. If the Unicode value is not accessible, then this statement might be ignored or a nonprintable character might be substituted.

I had the same result you do with all of the fonts I tried so it may be that many font "designers" don't see a need for the circle numbers past 20.

If you find something where it resolves properly try using that Font in a TEXTATTRS with the Family option. Since fonts aren't the same across installations I am not sure which to suggest.

[Ksharp]

/*Here is a workaround way.*/
data have;
 set sashelp.class;
if age<14 then char='21';
 else if age<15 then char='22';
  else char='23';
run;

proc sgplot data=have nocycleattrs noautolegend;
scatter x=weight y=height/ markerattrs=(symbol=circle size=20) group=char;
scatter x=weight y=height/markerchar=char markercharattrs=(size=10) labelstrip group=char ;
run;

[JosvanderVelden]

For open source unicode font information see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_Unicode_typefaces

For more background information read: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/34732718/why-isnt-there-a-font-that-contains-all-unicode-glyphs