Date:         Sat, 11 Dec 2010 12:14:48 -0800
Reply-To:     "Jack F. Hamilton" <jfh@STANFORDALUMNI.ORG>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         "Jack F. Hamilton" <jfh@STANFORDALUMNI.ORG>
Subject:      Re: User-define formats
Comments: To: "Fehd, Ronald J. (CDC/OCOO/ITSO)" <rjf2@CDC.GOV>
In-Reply-To:  <9F0A90FE1B47E74DB4DF72EC940E33AC023FBB1E@EMBX-CHAM4.cdc.gov>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

The program results below indicate otherwise:

=====
1    libname other 'c:\ztemp';
NOTE: Libref OTHER was successfully assigned as follows:
      Engine:        V9
      Physical Name: c:\ztemp
2    options nofmterr;
3
4    proc format library=work;
5       value test
6          1 = 'from work';
NOTE: Format TEST has been output.
7       value ex
8          1 = 'from work';
NOTE: Format EX has been output.
9    run;

NOTE: PROCEDURE FORMAT used (Total process time):
      real time           0.10 seconds
      cpu time            0.03 seconds


10
11   proc format library=other;
12      value test
13         1 = 'from other';
NOTE: Format TEST is already on the library.
NOTE: Format TEST has been written to OTHER.FORMATS.
14   run;

NOTE: PROCEDURE FORMAT used (Total process time):
      real time           0.01 seconds
      cpu time            0.00 seconds


15
16
17   options fmtsearch=(other);
18
19   data _null_;
20      x = 1;
21      put x=test.;
22      put x=ex.;
23   run;

x=from work
x=from work
NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):
      real time           0.03 seconds
      cpu time            0.04 seconds
=====

The format TEST is used from WORK even though only OTHER is specified in FMTSEARCH.

It's a new session, so CATCACHE doesn't come into play.


On Dec 11, 2010, at 11:48 , Fehd, Ronald J. (CDC/OCOO/ITSO) wrote:

>> From: bbser2009
>> Sent: Saturday, December 11, 2010 12:06 PM
>> Subject: RE: [SAS-L] User-define formats
>>
>> Ron
>>
>> I am not sure why you emphasized putting "work" first.
>>
>> If we have this
>> "options fmtsearch=(MyLibRef);",
>>
>> SAS will search Work, LIbrary, and Mylibref in the order displayed.
>
> your statements evaluates to False
>
> and this is a common FAQ: where are my work.formats after I changed fmtsearch?
>
> fmtsearch is The List of libref(s) to search
>
> the default is (work Library)
>
> if you change the value to e.g.
>> "options fmtsearch=(MyLibRef);",
> then those are the only libref(s)
> that SAS searches for formats.catalog
>
> i.e.: SAS will not search work nor library
>
> Ron Fehd  the macro maven
>
> see also:
> http://www.sascommunity.org/wiki/Dynamically_Insert_and_Append_SAS_Format_and_Macro_Libraries_within_a_SAS_Program