Specifies a SAS date format or length.
|
Optional statement
|
| Applies to: |
access descriptor or view descriptor
|
| Interacts with: |
ASSIGN
|
CONTENT
column-identifier-1<=>SAS-date-format-1
| length
| E
<...
column-identifier-n<=>SAS-date-format-n
|length|E>;
|
The
CONTENT statement enables you to enter a SAS date format, a variable length,
or an extended time format. A date format means that the ADABAS data
have the specified representation. A variable length determines the number
of characters to be accessed. The extended time format (E) invokes NATURAL
date, time, and datetime values. The SAS System stores datetime values as
the number of days and seconds before and after January 1, 1960. The NATURAL
4th generation language stores date and time values as the number of days
and seconds since 0 A.D.
For ADABAS files,
entering a SAS date or a variable length automatically changes default values
for SAS formats and informats. For NATURAL DDMs, entering a date changes
the default format and informat but entering a length does not. However,
if you have previously changed any format and informat values, specifying
a CONTENT value does not alter those values. Specifying extended time format
changes default values for SAS informat and format values to DATETIME16.
For groups and periodic groups, the CONTENT field is
for information only and is set to *GROUP* and *PGROUP*, respectively.
ADABAS does not
have a specific date type; therefore, the CONTENT statement enables you to
identify dates for SAS processing. You can enter one of four SAS date formats.
If you specified Assign=YES when creating an access
descriptor, you cannot change the value for this statement when you later
create a view descriptor based on that access descriptor. If you specified
Assign=NO, you can change the value for this statement in a subsequent view
descriptor.
You do not have to issue a SELECT statement for columns named in the
CONTENT statement.
Note: The SAS/ACCESS to ADABAS engine does not provide automatic conversion
to the extended time format in releases of the SAS System prior to Release
6.08 TSO420. However, it is possible to convert a value to the extended time
format in a SAS DATA step by using the following formulas:
SAS date value = NATURAL date value - 715874
SAS datetime value = (NATURAL datetime value / 10)
- (715874 * 3600 *24)
SAS time value = NATURAL time value / 10 ![[cautend]](../common/images/cautend.gif)
Copyright © 1999 by SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA. All rights reserved.
