Date:         Mon, 19 Dec 2005 01:50:22 -0800
Reply-To:     RolandRB <rolandberry@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         RolandRB <rolandberry@HOTMAIL.COM>
Organization: http://groups.google.com
Subject:      Re: Is there an easy way of identifying a system format?
Comments: To: sas-l@uga.edu
In-Reply-To:  <43a67b3d$0$15737$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Scott Bass wrote:
> OK, I'm just hacking here...
>
> I started a fresh session of SAS 9.x.  Then I submitted:
>
> proc sql;
>    create table before as
>    select distinct fmtname from dictionary.formats;
> quit;
>
> proc format;
>    value foo
>       1="foo"
>       2="bar"
>    ;
> run;
>
> proc sql;
>    create table after as
>    select distinct fmtname from dictionary.formats;
> quit;
>
> The before table contains all the formats prior to me creating foo (i.e. the
> system formats).  The after table contains the additional foo format.
>
> Another thing is the user format has data for libname and memname (i.e.
> WORK.FORMATS).  So I would think you could assume that a blank libname and
> memname = system format.
>
> AFAIK dictionary.formats (and sashelp.vformat) is new to V9.
>
> HTH,
> Scott

Thanks for that. Could you please look at the documentation for "proc
contents" to see if they have added an option to help you identify
whether a format is a non-system format or not or even added a new
field?