Informats used in modified list input will NOT do which of the following?

The correct response relates to the functionality of informats in modified list input. In SAS, modified list input is a technique for reading in data values that may be non-standard or that might include variations in length. Informats specifically help manage how different types of data are read into SAS datasets.

While using informats with modified list input, they excel in reading character data that includes embedded blanks, as well as processing nonstandard data values that may not conform to the usual expectations of length or structure. However, informats do not have the capability to determine the number of columns to be read; this is inherently determined by the modified list input context itself.

In practical terms, when employing modified list input, the user specifies the input structure (e.g., the presence of delimiters or fixed widths), and this structure effectively defines how many columns are read. The informats are instrumental in interpreting the data values that have been read, but they do not influence column count; this is set by the structure defined in the input statement. Therefore, the assertion that informats will not determine the number of columns aligns with how they function in the data reading process.