Problem: &FORMAT Directive Value Greater than 4 Causes Errors in PROJECT Command Output

Description

Setting the value for &FORMAT to a value greater than 4 causes errors when the coverage, grid or TIN is projected with the PROJECT command or when the coordinate system is defined with the PROJECTDEFINE command.

Cause

This issue is a known limit in ArcInfo Workstation.

The &FORMAT directive sets the number of decimal places or precision of real numbers such as coordinates, tolerances and distances displayed by ArcInfo Workstation. The default value for &FORMAT = 3.

Note:
Numeric values are displayed to three decimal places:

[O-Image] Display of default &FORMAT value

The maximum field length for projection parameters such as 1st Standard Parallel, 2nd Standard Parallel, Central Meridian and Latitude of Origin is 13 characters.

If &FORMAT is set to a value greater than 4, the values in these projection parameters are converted to a string of asterisks.
[O-Image] &FORMAT value = 5

When the coverage is projected, coordinates cannot be recalculated on the string of asterisks, and the projection process produces an invalid output.

For example, note the input projection parameters:
[O-Image] Input for PROJECT command

Solution or Workaround

Reset the &FORMAT value to either 3 or 4:

Code:
Arc:  &format 3

Article ID:000008855

Software:

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&FORMAT directive value greater than 4 causes errors in PROJECT command output

Description

Cause

Solution or Workaround

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