johnI wrote: > putn( var, format) allows the use of a variable containing the format > to format the display of var. is there a similar feature in proc > report where a variable on the data set can serve as the repository > for formats for the display variables?

Yes. Use a COMPUTE block.

data foo; do x = 0 to 50; length format $32; if mod (x,3) = 0 then format = 'z5.'; else if mod (x,3) = 1 then format = '5.3;'; else format='e12.';

output; end; run;

ods pdf file="%sysfunc(pathname(WORK))\demo.pdf" style=meadow;

proc report data=foo nowindows; columns x format xrender; define x / display noprint; define format / display noprint; define xrender / computed; compute xrender / character length=50; xrender = putn (x, format); endcomp; run;

ods pdf close;

-- Richard A. DeVenezia http://www.devenezia.com/