The MACONTROL Procedure


Syntax: PROC MACONTROL Statement

Subsections:

The syntax for the PROC MACONTROL statement is as follows:

The PROC MACONTROL statement starts the MACONTROL procedure, and it optionally identifies various data sets and requests line printer charts. You can specify the following options in the PROC MACONTROL statement.

ANNOTATE=SAS-data-set
ANNO=SAS-data-set

specifies an input data set that contains appropriate annotate variables, as described in SAS/GRAPH: Reference. The ANNOTATE= option enables you to add features to the moving average chart (for example, labels that explain out-of-control points). The ANNOTATE= data set is used only when the chart is created as traditional graphics; it is ignored if ODS Graphics is enabled or if you specify the LINEPRINTER option.

The data set specified with the ANNOTATE= option in the PROC MACONTROL statement is a "global" annotate data set in the sense that the information in this data set is displayed on every chart produced in the current run of the MACONTROL procedure.

ANNOTATE2=SAS-data-set
ANNO2=SAS-data-set

specifies an input data set that contains appropriate annotate variables that add features to the trend chart (secondary chart) produced with the TRENDVAR= option in the EWMACHART or MACHART statement. This option is ignored if ODS Graphics is enabled or if you specify the LINEPRINTER option.

DATA=SAS-data-set

names an input data set that contains raw data (measurements) as observations. If the values of the subgroup-variable are numeric, you need to sort the data set so that these values are in increasing order (within BY groups). The DATA= data set can contain more than one observation for each value of the subgroup-variable.

You cannot specify a DATA= data set with a HISTORY= or TABLE= data set. If you do not specify an input data set, PROC MACONTROL uses the most recently created data set as a DATA= data set. For more information, see "DATA= Data Set" in the appropriate chart statement chapter.

FORMCHAR(index)='string'

defines characters used for features on line printer charts, where index is a list of numbers ranging from 1 to 17 and string is a character or hexadecimal string. This option applies only if you also specify the LINEPRINTER option.

The index identifies which features are controlled with the string characters, as described in Table 9.1. If you specify the FORMCHAR= option and omit the index, the string controls all 17 features.

Table 9.1: FORMCHAR= Features

Value of index

Description of Character

Chart Feature

1

Vertical bar

Frame

2

Horizontal bar

Frame, central line

3

Box character (upper left)

Frame

4

Box character (upper middle)

Serifs, tick (horizontal axis)

5

Box character (upper right)

Frame

6

Box character (middle left)

Not used

7

Box character (middle middle)

Serifs

8

Box character (middle right)

Tick (vertical axis)

9

Box character (lower left)

Frame

10

Box character (lower middle)

Serifs

11

Box character (lower right)

Frame

12

Vertical bar

Control limits

13

Horizontal bar

Control limits

14

Box character (upper right)

Control limits

15

Box character (lower left)

Control limits

16

Box character (lower right)

Control limits

17

Box character (upper left)

Control limits


Not all printers can produce the characters in the preceding list. By default, the form character list specified by the SAS system FORMCHAR= option is used; otherwise, the default is FORMCHAR=’$|$—-$|$+$|$$|$=====’. If you print to a PC screen or if your device supports the ASCII symbol set (1 or 2), the following is recommended:

formchar='B3,C4,DA,C2,BF,C3,C5,B4,C0,C1,D9,BA,CD,BB,C8,BC,D9'X

Note that you can use the FORMCHAR= option to temporarily override the values of the SAS system FORMCHAR= option. The values of the SAS system FORMCHAR= option are not altered by the FORMCHAR= option in the PROC MACONTROL statement.

GOUT=graphics-catalog

specifies the graphics catalog for traditional graphics output from PROC MACONTROL. This is useful if you want to save the output. The GOUT= option is used only when the chart is created using traditional graphics; it is ignored if ODS Graphics is enabled or if you specify the LINEPRINTER option.

HISTORY=SAS-data-set
HIST=SAS-data-set

names an input data set that contains subgroup summary statistics (means, standard deviations, and sample sizes). Typically, this data set is created as an OUTHISTORY= data set in a previous run of PROC MACONTROL or PROC SHEWHART, but it can also be created with a SAS summarization procedure such as PROC MEANS.

If the values of the subgroup-variable are numeric, you need to sort the data set so that these values are in increasing order (within BY groups). A HISTORY= data set can contain only one observation for each value for the subgroup-variable.

You cannot use a HISTORY= data set with a DATA= or TABLE= data set. If you do not specify an input data set, PROC MACONTROL uses the most recently created data set as a DATA= data set. For more information on HISTORY= data sets, see "HISTORY= Data Set" in the appropriate chart statement chapter.

LIMITS=SAS-data-set

names an input data set that contains the control limit parameters for the moving average chart. Each observation in a LIMITS= data set contains the parameters for a process.

For details about the variables needed in a LIMITS= data set, see "LIMITS= Data Set" in the appropriate chart statement chapter.

If you do not provide a LIMITS= data set, you must specify the parameters with options in the chart statement.

LINEPRINTER

requests that legacy line printer charts be produced.

TABLE=SAS-data-set

names an input data set that contains subgroup summary statistics and control limits. Each observation in a TABLE= data set provides information for a particular subgroup and process. Typically, this data set is created as an OUTTABLE= data set in a previous run of PROC MACONTROL.

You cannot use a TABLE= data set with a DATA= or HISTORY= data set. If you do not specify an input data set, PROC MACONTROL uses the most recently created data set as a DATA= data set. For more information, see the "TABLE= Data Set" section in the appropriate chart statement chapter.