ACCESS Procedure Reference

FORMAT Statement (Optional)

Assigns a SAS format to a SYSTEM 2000 data item.

Applies to:

access descriptors and view descriptors

Syntax
Details

Syntax

FORMAT variable-identifier = SAS-format-name

<...variable-identifier-n<=>SAS-format-name-n>;

Details

The FORMAT statement changes a SAS variable format from its default format; the default format is based on the database item's data type. You can enter as many formats as necessary in one FORMAT statement.

variable-identifier can be one of the following:

the current SAS variable name for the item

Note: Any name on the left side of the equal sign (=) must be a SAS name, not a SYSTEM 2000 name. In an access descriptor, if the ASSIGN statement is omitted, you must enter the item number or component number (C-number) on the left side of the equal sign (=).
the positional equivalent, which is the number that represents the item, as specified in the LIST statement
the SYSTEM 2000 C-number of the database item

For example, if you want to associate the DATE9. format with the fifth item in the access descriptor, submit the following statement:

format 5 date9.;

You can use only the FORMAT statement with a view descriptor if ASSIGN= NO was specified when the access descriptor was created. When used in a view descriptor, the FORMAT statement automatically selects the re-formatted item. That is, if you change the format associated with an item, you do not have to issue a SELECT statement for that item. FMT is an alias.

Note: You cannot specify the FORMAT statement for a record. [cautionend]

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