Proc Report Tricks
Kelley Weston
Outline
Examples
1. Text that spans columns
2. Patient-level detail in the titles
3. Titles and footnotes at different places
4. Adding a space when adding a space doesn't work
5. Using a character that needs to sort before a space
6. Using a better underline
7. Stacking multiple variables in one column
8. Avoid orphaning groups of rows in listings
Ex 1
Ex 2
Ex 3
Ex 4
Ex 5
Ex 6
Ex 7
Ex 8
Outline
1. Text that spans columns
Desired Output:
Patient
1
Test 1:
Date
01NOV2005
this is my sample long text
Test 2: this is my sample long text
2
Test 1:
02NOV2005
this is my sample long text
Test 2: this is my sample long text
Outline
Notice that:
•Some information is in columns, under column headings
(patient number and date)
•Some information is on multiple lines that spans columns
(test 1 and test 2)
Outline
Sample code:
Create dataset:
data work.temp;
input pt : $1.
date : date9.
@13 mytext $char50.;
cards;
1 01nov2005 this is my sample long text
2 02nov2005 this is my sample long text
run;
Outline
Report code:
Part 1:
proc report data = work.temp nowd ;
%* variable to be used in compute block must come before
break variable;
column mytext pt date;
define pt
/ order
"Patient"
width = 7
center
;
define date / order "Date"
width = 9
format = date9.
left
;
Outline
Report Code
Part 2:
*the variable to be used in the compute block must be
defined as an order variable and use the noprint
option;
define mytext / order noprint;
compute after pt;
%* 1st method of printing line;
line @3 "Test 1: " @12 mytext $50.;
line " ";
%* 2nd method of printing line;
length text $75;
text = "Test 2: " !! mytext;
line @3 text $75.;
line " ";
endcomp;
break after pt / skip;
run;
Outline
2. Patient-level detail in the titles
Desired Sample Output:
____________
Sample report
Patient: 1 Y = A
_________
Z
_________
9
_____________
Sample report
Patient: 2 Y = B
____________
<- title 1 line
<- title2 line
<- column heading
<- variable value
_________
Z
_________
8
Outline
Outline:
1. Put patient information in macro variables
2. Create proc report with titles containing macro variables
3. Wrap proc report within a macro loop to process all patients
Outline
Create dataset:
data work.temp;
input patient y $ z;
cards;
1 A 9
2 B 8
run;
Outline
Step 1 - Put patient information into macro variables
proc sql
select
into
from
noprint;
count(patient)
:cnt_x
work.temp;
%let cnt_x = &cnt_x;
select
into
,
from
quit;
distinct patient, y
:x1 - :x&cnt_x /* patient number */
:y1 - :y&cnt_x /* other var. to be in ttl */
work.temp;
Outline
Step 2 - Create proc report with titles containing macro
variables
title1 "________________________________________";
title2 "Sample report";
title3 "Patient: &&x&cnt Y = &&y&cnt";
title4 "________________________________________";
proc report data = work.temp nowd headline;
column ("__" z);
define z / "Z";
where Patient = &&x&cnt;
run;
Outline
Step 3 - Wrap proc report within a macro loop to process all
patients
%macro test;
%local cnt;
%do cnt = 1 %to &cnt_x;
title1 "________________________________________";
title2 "Sample report";
title3 "Patient: &&x&cnt Y = &&y&cnt";
title4 "________________________________________";
proc report data = work.temp nowd headline;
column ("__" z);
define z / "Z";
where Patient = &&x&cnt;
run;
%end;
%mend test;
%test;
Outline
3. Titles and footnotes at different places
Outline
Titles within proc report:
proc report data = work.report column x;
Define x / display;
compute before ;
line "Title at the beginning of the report";
line " ";
endcomp;
%* between Titles & column headers;
compute before _page_ / center;
line "Title at the beginning of each page";
line " ";
endcomp;
run;
Outline
Footnotes within proc report:
proc report data = work.report column x;
Define x / display;
%* before footnotes specified in Footnote stmts;
compute after _page_ / center;
line " ";
line "Footnote at the end of each page";
endcomp;
compute after;
line " ";
line "Footnote at the end of the report";
endcomp;
run;
Outline
4. Adding a space when adding a space doesn't work
If Proc Report does not maintain the space you need (for example, in
a label), then you can use ASCII 160 / hex A0) – used in column
titles to indent (Proc Report won't keep space [ASCII 32])
Define x / " Column* Title" left;
Could still be printed as:
Column
Title
When you really want:
bbColumn
bbbbTitle
Outline
Two ways of achieving this:
If using UltraEdit, use the ASCII table:
View / ASCII table / click on Dec 160 / hex A0 / Click on Insert char
Outline
If you are not using UltraEdit, then use the numeric keypad:
Alt – 0-1-6-0 (hold down the Alt key for the entire number.)
Outline
5.
Using a character that needs to sort before a space
If you have something in your report dataset that needs to sort before
something that contains a space, insert a null character (ASCII 00 / hex 00)
You can insert it into your data in the same way as inserting the "new" blank
(ASCII 160).
For instance, when creating Adverse Event tables, and indenting the PT
(Preferred term) underneath the SOC (System Organ Class), and trying to
get everything to sort properly, you can precede the SOC with an ASCII 00,
which will sort before the space (ASCII 32 / hex 20)
Outline
6. Using a better underline (use "~~" in column statement,
then use customized SAS macro)
Outline
Step 1: Run Proc Report to create *.lst file
Step 2: Run macro that will replace "~" with graphics
character
Outline
Step 1: Run Proc Report:
proc report formchar(2) = "~"; /* by default this is a dash */
columns ("~~" vars1 - vars3 ); /* a dash is commonly used here */
Outline
Step 2: Run macro to replace "~" with graphics dash:
The macro contains the following code:
if index(text, '~') > 0
then text = tranwrd(text, '~', '97'x);
This replaces the tilde (~) with a graphics hyphen (—) in the list file.
Normally, a regular hyphen (-) will be used, which will show space
between the hyphens.
This assumes that the tilde will not be used anywhere else in the report.
Outline
7. Stacking multiple variables in one column
The split character defined in the Proc Report statement will work not only in
the label, but in the data as well:
col1 = trim(left(var1)) !! "#" !! trim(left(var2));
proc report split = "#" ;
Outline
8.
Avoid orphaning groups of rows in listings
Adapted from "Controlling Page Breaks when using Proc Report", paper by
Cynthia Stetz, Merrill Lynch
There are times when you may want to keep all of group of items on a single
page, instead of starting the group in the middle of one page, and
continuing the group on the next page. Instead of trying to account for it
yourself, let SAS do it.
Outline
Step 1: Define number of observations in every group - used for
page breaks in report
Step 2: Increment the page counter
Step 3: Proc Report Code
Outline
Step 1: Define # of obs in every group - used for page breaks in report
proc sql noprint;
create table work.report as
select *, count(visit) as rec_cnt
from work.report
group by site
order by site, visit;
quit;
Notes:
• Site is the group-by, order-by, first. variable in this example. This is a
variable that has the same value on many observations.
• Visit is the variable that is being counted. It has a different value on every
observation. It is not a group-by variable.
Outline
Sample Output
Obs
site
VISIT
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
00001
00001
00001
00001
00001
00001
00002
00002
00002
00002
00002
00002
00002
2
4
6
7
8
9
2
4
6
7
8
9
11
rec_cnt
6
6
6
6
6
6
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
<- +
|
|
|
|
<- +
<- +
|
|
|
|
|
<- +
6 obs
in
first
group
7 obs
in
second
group
Outline
Step 2: Increment Page Counter
data work.report (drop = max lns_on_pg);
set work.report;
by site;
retain lns_on_pg 0
max
48 /* less than page size value */
pg_ejct
1 /* break var. in proc report */;
if first.site then do;
%* +2 is to compensate for break lines;
lns_on_pg = lns_on_pg + rec_cnt + 2;
if lns_on_pg GT max then do;
pg_ejct + 1;
lns_on_pg = rec_cnt + 2;
end; %* lns_on_pg GT max;
end; %* first.site;
run;
Outline
Sample Output:
After defining page eject (only 1st obs of each group shown)
Obs
site
VISIT
1
00001
7
14
22
30
38
00001
00003
00004
00005
00006
2
...
2
2
2
2
2
rec_cnt
6
7
8
8
8
6
pg_ejct
1 <- +
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1 <- +
2
all obs
for these
sites
on
page one
page 2 starts
Outline
Step 3: Proc Report Code:
proc report;
columns ("__" pg_ejct var1 -- var5);
define pg_ejct / order noprint;
break after pg_ejct / page;
run;
Outline
Thank you !
Kelley Weston
Quintiles
Outline