sas - Using output of Proc Freq variables for input into Proc Format -

i want grab number of variable levels variable output of unique identifiers method not work. want use unique id's , associate numbers 1-num_levels proc freq.

here have proc freq:

proc freq data=my_data (keep=ids) nlevels; table all/out=out_data; %let dim=levels; %let ids; run; 

then tried use macro variables didn't work including manual version of proc format give idea of trying achieve trying make more automated.

proc format;  invalue index "1234" = 1 "2345" = 2 . . . "8901" =25; /*25 represents output of levels  variable proc freq couldn't figure out how grab either*/ run; 

any appreciated. thank you!

here's worked solution, illustrates proc format cntlin way of doing this. idea here mask names observation number instead.

*create list of unique names; proc freq data=sashelp.class noprint;     table name/out = mask; run;  *create control data set. variables need set are:    fmtname, start, label , type;  data name_fmt;     set mask;     fmtname = 'namefmt';     type='j';      *j specified character informat, c character format;     start=name;     label = put(_n_, z2.); *use row number recoded value; run;  *create format; proc format cntlin=name_fmt; run;  *sample usage; data class;     set sashelp.class;     name_masked = input(name, $namefmt.);     drop name; run;