Generates new format for variables defined. -------------------------------------------
^eformat^ varlist, [^vn^ ^l^ab ^v^al ^d^ate^(^string^)^ ^n^ewdec]
^Description^ ^-----------^ Generates new formats for the variables in the ^varlist^, based on - the variable type - the current format - the range of values - the maximum length of a label attached to a value - and the length of the variable name.
^Options^ ^-------^ ^vn^ requests width minimum as long as varname ^val^ requests width sufficient for display of values (int, float) ^lab^ requests width sufficient for longest label if labelled variable ^newdec^ requests new calculation of decimals for float variables with current number of decimals >0. If not specified the current number of decimals, > if >0, is kept. ^date()^ string a date-format to be given to all vars with already a %d format > .
The varlist will be ^compressed^ before changing any formats.
The width of the format of a variable will ^default^ be based on the range of values of the variable. However, if ^lab^ is specified, and the variable has a value label attached, the width will be determined by the length of the longest label associated with one of the values of the variable. In that case the value of the variable will also be taken into account if option ^val^ is specified.
The format of variables with a date-format attached (^elapsed dates^) will be left unchanged, apart that it will be made longer if the variable name (or a label) would require it. With the option ^date^(date-format), all date-variables may be given the same date format. An invalid date format in date(date-format) will be ignored.
^String^ variables will be given format %ws, with w=length of largest non-empty > string.
For variables of type ^integer, byte or long^ (after compression) the decimal part of the format will be 0. The width will be sufficient to display the largest value as an integer.
The format of variables of type ^float or double^ (after compression), if based > on the values, as usually will be the case since in general no value label will be attached to such a variable, will be either f- or g-format, depending on the range of values. The number of decimals will be the same as the current number unless the current number is 0 or if option ^newdec^ is specified. The number of decimals, if recalculated, is based primarily on the number required to display the first non-zero decimal of the smallest non integer absolute value. If all values are between -1 and +1 the number of decimals is at least 2.
^Examples^ ^--------^
. ^eformat _all, vn lab val date(%dD/N/Y)^ . ^eformat _all, date(%d)^
^Other ado files required:^ ljust, nel ^-------------------------^ ^Author:^ ^-------^ Wim van Putten Erasmus MC - Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center Department of Statistics The Netherlands e-mail: w.vanputten@@erasmusmc.nl