Functions and CALL Routines

VFORMAT Function

Returns the format that is associated with the specified variable.

Category:	Variable Information
Restriction:	Use only with the DATA step

Syntax

VFORMAT (var)

var

specifies a variable that is expressed as a scalar or as an array reference.

Restriction:

You cannot use an expression as an argument.

If the VFORMAT function returns a value to a variable that has not yet been assigned a length, by default the variable is assigned a length of 200.

VFORMAT returns the complete format name, which includes the width and the period (for example, $CHAR20.).

VFORMAT returns the format that is associated with the specified variable. VFORMATX, however, evaluates the argument to determine the variable name. The function then returns the format that is associated with that variable name.
VFORMAT does not accept an expression as an argument. VFORMATX accepts expressions, but the value of the specified expression cannot denote an array reference.
Related functions return the value of other variable attributes, such as the variable name, type, length, among others. For a list, see the "Variable Information" functions in Functions and CALL Routines by Category .

SAS Statements	Results
array x(3) x1-x3; format x1 best6.; y=vformat(x(1)); put y=;	y=BEST6.