FORMCHAR= System Option

Specifies the default output formatting characters.
Valid in: Configuration file, SAS invocation, OPTIONS statement, SAS System Options window
Category: Log and procedure output control: Procedure output
PROC OPTIONS GROUP= LISTCONTROL
Note: This option can be restricted by a site administrator. For more information, see Restricted Options.
See: FORMCHAR System Option: Windows in SAS Companion for Windows
Syntax
Details
See Also

Syntax

FORMCHAR= 'formatting-characters'

Syntax Description

'formatting-characters'
specifies any string or list of strings of characters up to 64 bytes long. If fewer than 64 bytes are specified, the string is padded with blanks on the right.
Tip:For consistent results when you move your document to different computers, issue the following OPTIONS statement before using ODS destinations other than the Listing destination: 
options formchar"|----|+|---+=|-/\<>*";

Details

Formatting characters are used to construct tabular output outlines and dividers for various procedures, such as the FREQ, REPORT, and TABULATE procedures. If you omit formatting characters as an option in the procedure, the default specifications given in the FORMCHAR= system option are used. Note that you can also specify a hexadecimal character constant as a formatting character. When you use a hexadecimal constant with this option, SAS interprets the value of the hexadecimal constant as appropriate for your operating system.
Note: To ensure that row and column separators and boxed tabular reports are printed legibly when using the standard forms characters, you must use these resources:
  • either the SAS Monospace or the SAS Monospace Bold font
  • a printer that supports TrueType fonts

See Also

For information about how Base SAS procedures use formatting characters, see Base SAS Procedures Guide. For procedures in other products that use formatting characters, see the documentation for that product.
The SAS Registry in SAS Language Reference: Concepts
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