Date:         Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:54:16 -0500
Reply-To:     msz03@albany.edu
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Mike Zdeb <msz03@ALBANY.EDU>
Subject:      Re: is there an upper limit to items in proc format (using for
              matching data)
Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1

hi ... when a format is used, it is moved from a catalog to memory

so, format size limited by available memory (as far as I can remember)

exactly how you can determine the amount of memory available for a format is left up to someone else on the list

ps  remember, the bigger the format, the longer the search ... take a look at ...

http://listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0308A&L=sas-l&D=0&H=0&O=T&T=1&m=106219&P=30976

--
Mike Zdeb
U@Albany School of Public Health
One University Place
Rensselaer, New York 12144-3456
P/518-402-6479 F/630-604-1475

> in using something like this to later match or delete some data, is there an upper
> limit to how many items can be stored ?
>
> I know this can be done in proc sql but am wondering if there is some limit like 99999
> rows ?
>
> finally, is there a better way of doing this /
>
> data temp;
> retain fmtname 'kkk';
> retain type 'c';
> set mydataset end=eof;
> order='Y';
> start=var1;label=order;output;
> if eof then do;
> start='xxxxxxxxxxxxxx'
> order='N';
> label=order;
> output;
> end;
> run;
>
> proc format cntlin=temp;
>
> then in a data step later
>
> if PUT(myvar,$kkk.)='Y'  then .... either output or delete something
>
>