LIST entries store lists of values that are used in
conjunction with PROGRAM entries to validate field values and to provide
selection lists.
You can specify the
following attributes for the list. You use the BUILD procedure's LISTATTR
window to set list attributes.
Type
specifies one of the
following types for the values in the list:
CHAR
indicates that the
list contains character values. (This is the default.)
NUM
indicates that the
list contains numeric values.
The list type should
match the type of the PROGRAM entry field that the list is used to
validate.
You cannot change the
list type once the list is saved.
Length
specifies the length
of items in the list. Valid values are 1 to 80.
You cannot change the
item length once the list is saved.
Fileref
specifies a fileref
that is associated with a file that is used to populate the list.
The fileref must have previously been defined in the SAS session.
Each value that is read from the file is appended to the list. The
file can contain more than one value per record or line as long as
the values are separated by one or more spaces. Values that are longer
than the specified item length are truncated.
The fileref is not
stored in the LIST entry. The Fileref attribute is blank each time
the LISTATTR window opens.
Pad
specifies which pad
character to use for fields in the LISTVALUES window. The default
is the underscore (_) character.
Format
specifies which format
to use for values in the LISTVALUES window and when values from the
list are displayed in selection lists.
Just
specifies how values
are aligned in the fields in the LISTVALUES window. The choices are
LEFT (default), RIGHT, CENTER, and NONE.
Informat
specifies the informat
that must be used when values are entered in the LISTVALUES window.
Options
specify one or more
of the following characteristics of the list:
SORT
specifies that the
values in the list are sorted in ascending order when the entry is
saved. This option is selected by default. Deselect the SORT option
if you want to store list values in the order in which they are entered.
CAPS
specifies that character
values in the list are converted to uppercase. This option is selected
by default. Deselect the CAPS option if you want to store mixed-case
values in the list.
CASE-INSENSITIVE
specifies that the
case of character values is ignored when values from the list are
used to validate field values. For example, if this option is selected,
then the value RED
in the list matches
the value red
in the PROGRAM entry
field that is being validated. If this option is not selected, the
values do not match.
Error msg
specifies the message
that is displayed when no value in the list matches the value in the
PROGRAM entry field that is being validated.
You can use the special
indicator
%s
to include the field value
in the message, as in the following example:
The value %s is not valid for this field.
You use the BUILD procedure's
LISTVALUES window to enter or edit values in the list. The LISTVALUES
window opens automatically when you close the LISTATTR window.