A format is an instruction
that FedSQL uses to write data values. You use formats to control
the written appearance of data values, or, in some cases, to group
data values together for analysis. For example, the ROMANw. format,
which converts numeric values to roman numerals, writes the numeric
value 2013 as
MMXIII.
When you create a SAS
data set, SPD Engine data set, or SASHDAT file with FedSQL, formatting
instructions can be stored with the data set, and automatically applied
by the SAS Output Delivery System when the data set is displayed in
a Base SAS session. Formats must be explicitly specified in the PUT
function for the other
SAS/ACCESS engines, because the data source
drivers do not store information about formats and informats.