By
default, ODS output is formatted according to instructions in various definitions
that the procedure or DATA step points to. However, ODS provides ways for
you to customize the output. You can customize the output for an entire SAS
job, or you can customize the output for a single output object.
To customize the presentation aspects of the output at the level of
the entire SAS job, use a style definition. To customize the output for a
single output object, use a table definition. The TEMPLATE procedure creates
and modifies these definitions, which the Output Delivery System then uses
to create formatted output.
- A style
definition
- describes how to render the presentation aspects (color,
font face, font size, and so forth) of an entire SAS job. A style definition
determines the overall look of the documents that use it. Each style definition
is composed of style elements.
- A style
element
- is a collection of style attributes that apply to a particular
part of the output. For instance, a style element may contain instructions
for the presentation of column headers or for the presentation of the data
inside cells. Style elements may also specify default colors and fonts for
output that uses the style definition. Each style attribute specifies a
value for one aspect of the presentation. For instance, the BACKGROUND= attribute
specifies the color for the background of an HTML table, and the FONT_STYLE=
attribute specifies whether to use a Roman, a slant, or an italic font.
- A table
definition
- describes how to render the output for a tabular output
object. (Almost all ODS output is tabular.) A table definition determines
the order of table headers and footers, the order of columns, and the overall
look of the output object that uses it. Each table definition contains or
references table elements.
- A table
element
- is a collection of attributes that apply to a particular
column, header, or footer. Typically, these attributes specify something about
the data rather than about its presentation. For instance FORMAT= specifies
the SAS format to use in a column. However, some attributes describe presentation
aspects of the data.
Note: You can also define columns, headers, and
footers outside of a table definition. Any table definition can then reference
these table elements. ![[cautionend]](../common/images/cautend.gif)
Copyright 1999 by SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA. All rights reserved.
