function to test for missing user-defined format

[frisco]

Is there a function to test for a missing user-defined format? I create a great deal of user-defined formats and am not always notifed by end-users that a new format needs to be created.

[sbb]

You can use DICTIONARY.FORMATS or SASHELP.VFORMAT to determine if a FORMAT/FORMATC member exists.

Scott Barry
SBBWorks, Inc.

http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/sqlproc/62086/HTML/default/a001385596.htm

[ChrisNZ]

I agree with Scott, list the formats you need by looking at what tables use, then list the formats you have by looking at what your format catalogs contain, and compare.

[sbb]

And, if you want to test for a user-defined format using a function call, you can always use the EXIST function, knowing the libref and catalog, as well as format-type (either FORMAT or FORMATC).

Scott Barry
SBBWorks, Inc.