When creating a character informat from a control data set, PROC FORMAT
ignores the seventh and/or eighth characters of the informat name stored in the
FMTNAME column of the control data set.

In the following example, the informat name will be truncated to
ABCDEFHI.

   data infmt;
     fmtname='$abcdefghi';
     type='J';
     start='1';
     label='YES';
   run;

   proc format cntlin=infmt fmtlib;
   run;

The circumvention to the problem when creating the control data set with
DATA step code, is to make sure the informat name is preceded by an '@'.
The '@' indicates an informat.

   fmtname='@$abcdefghi';

In this example, the informat name is truncated to ABCDEFI.

   proc format cntlout=outinfmt;
     invalue $abcdefghi '1'='NO';
   run;

   proc format cntlin=outinfmt fmtlib;
   run;

The circumvention to the problem when using a control data set created
by the CNTLOUT= option, is to append the '@' using a DATA step prior to
PROC FORMAT CNTLIN=.

   data outinfmt;
     set outinfmt;
     if type='J' and fmtname ^=: '@$' then do;
        if fmtname=:'$' then fmtname='@'||fmtname;
        else if fmtname=:'@' then fmtname='@$'||substr(fmtname,2);
        else fmtname='@$'||fmtname;
     end;
   run;


A fix for SAS 9.1.3 (9.1 TS1M3) for this issue is available at:

http://www.sas.com/techsup/download/hotfix/e9_sbcs_prod_list.html#013406

For customers running SAS with Asian Language Support (DBCS), this
fix should be downloaded from:

http://www.sas.com/techsup/download/hotfix/e9_dbcs_prod_list.html#013406

Operating System and Release Information

Product Family	Product	System	SAS Release
			Reported	Fixed*
SAS System	Base SAS	Microsoft Windows XP Professional	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		Microsoft Windows NT Workstation	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		Microsoft® Windows® for 64-Bit Itanium-based Systems	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		Microsoft Windows 2000 Server	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		Solaris	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		HP-UX	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		Linux	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		64-bit Enabled Solaris	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		z/OS	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		HP-UX IPF	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		64-bit Enabled HP-UX	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		OpenVMS Alpha	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		64-bit Enabled AIX	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		Tru64 UNIX	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1
		AIX	9 TS M0	9.1 TS1M3 SP1

* For software releases that are not yet generally available, the Fixed Release is the software release in which the problem is planned to be fixed.

---

A fix for SAS 9.1.3 (9.1 TS1M3) for this issue is available at:

http://www.sas.com/techsup/download/hotfix/e9_sbcs_prod_list.html#013406

---

A fix for SAS 9.1.3 (9.1 TS1M3) with Asian Language Support (DBCS) for this issue is available at :

http://www.sas.com/techsup/download/hotfix/e9_dbcs_prod_list.html#013406

---

Informat name is truncated during creation of a character informat with the CNTLIN= option in PROC FORMAT.

Type:	Problem Note
Priority:	medium
Topic:	SAS Reference ==> Procedures ==> FORMAT

Date Modified:	2005-01-03 12:42:22
Date Created:	2004-09-23 12:01:15