diff --git a/base/mp_cntlout.sas b/base/mp_cntlout.sas
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..357b630
--- /dev/null
+++ b/base/mp_cntlout.sas
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+/**
+  @file mp_cntlout.sas
+  @brief Creates a cntlout dataset in a consistent format
+  @details The dataset produced by proc format in the cntlout option will vary
+  according to its contents.
+
+  When dealing with formats from an ETL perspective (eg in [Data Controller for
+  SAS](https://datacontroller.io)), it is important that the output dataset
+  has a consistent model (and compariable values).
+
+  This macro makes use of mddl_sas_cntlout.sas to provide the consistent model,
+  and will left-align the start and end values when dealing with numeric ranges
+  to enable consistency when checking for differences.
+
+  usage:
+
+      %mp_cntlout(libcat=yourlib.cat,cntlout=work.formatexport)
+
+  @param [in] libcat The library.catalog reference
+  @param [in] fmtlist= (0) provide a space separated list of specific formats to
+    extract
+  @param [in] iftrue= (1=1) A condition under which the macro should be executed
+  @param [out] cntlout= (work.fmtextract) Libds reference for the output dataset
+
+  <h4> SAS Macros </h4>
+  @li mddl_sas_cntlout.sas
+  @li mf_getuniquename.sas
+
+  <h4> Related Macros </h4>
+  @li mf_getvarformat.sas
+  @li mp_getformats.sas
+  @li mp_loadformat.sas
+  @li mp_ds2fmtds.sas
+
+  @version 9.2
+  @author Allan Bowe
+  @cond
+**/
+
+%macro mp_cntlout(
+  iftrue=(1=1)
+  ,libcat=
+  ,cntlout=work.fmtextract
+  ,fmtlist=0
+)/*/STORE SOURCE*/;
+%local ddlds cntlds i;
+
+%if not(%eval(%unquote(&iftrue))) %then %return;
+
+%let ddlds=%mf_getuniquename();
+%let cntlds=%mf_getuniquename();
+
+%mddl_sas_cntlout(libds=&ddlds)
+
+%if %index(&libcat,-)>0 and %scan(&libcat,2,-)=FC %then %do;
+  %let libcat=%scan(&libcat,1,-);
+%end;
+
+proc format lib=&libcat cntlout=&cntlds;
+%if "&fmtlist" ne "0" %then %do;
+  select
+  %do i=1 %to %sysfunc(countw(&fmtlist));
+    %scan(&fmtlist,&i,%str( ))
+  %end;
+  ;
+%end;
+run;
+
+data &cntlout;
+  if 0 then set &ddlds;
+  set &cntlds;
+  if type="N" then do;
+    start=cats(start);
+    end=cats(end);
+  end;
+run;
+proc sort;
+  by fmtname start;
+run;
+
+proc sql;
+drop table &ddlds,&cntlds;
+
+%mend mp_cntlout;
+/** @endcond */
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/base/mp_loadformat.sas b/base/mp_loadformat.sas
index 0d6dc3f..6d6e308 100644
--- a/base/mp_loadformat.sas
+++ b/base/mp_loadformat.sas
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
   @li mf_getuniquename.sas
   @li mf_nobs.sas
   @li mp_abort.sas
+  @li mp_cntlout.sas
   @li mp_lockanytable.sas
 
   <h4> Related Macros </h4>
@@ -66,17 +67,26 @@
 );
 /* set up local macro variables and temporary tables (with a prefix) */
 %local err msg prefix dslist i var fmtlist ibufsize;
-%let dslist=base base_fmts template inlibds ds1 stagedata storediffs;
+%let dslist=base_fmts template inlibds ds1 stagedata storediffs;
 %if &outds_add=0 %then %let dslist=&dslist outds_add;
 %if &outds_del=0 %then %let dslist=&dslist outds_del;
 %if &outds_mod=0 %then %let dslist=&dslist outds_mod;
-%let prefix=%substr(%mf_getuniquename(),1,22);
+%let prefix=%substr(%mf_getuniquename(),1,21);
 %do i=1 %to %sysfunc(countw(&dslist));
   %let var=%scan(&dslist,&i);
   %local &var;
   %let &var=%upcase(&prefix._&var);
 %end;
 
+/*
+format values can be up to 32767 wide.  SQL joins on such a wide column can
+cause buffer issues.  Update ibufsize and reset at the end.
+*/
+%let ibufsize=%sysfunc(getoption(ibufsize));
+options ibufsize=32767 ;
+
+/* in DC, format catalogs maybe specified in the libds with a -FC extension */
+%let libcat=%scan(&libcat,1,-);
 
 /* perform input validations */
 %let err=0;
@@ -125,17 +135,9 @@ run;
   */
 proc sql noprint;
 select distinct fmtname into: fmtlist separated by ' ' from &libds;
-proc format lib=&libcat cntlout=&base;
-  select
-  /* send formats individually to avoid line truncation in the input stack */
-  %do i=1 %to %sysfunc(countw(&fmtlist));
-    %scan(&fmtlist,&i,%str( ))
-  %end;
-  ;
-run;
-proc sort data=&base;
-  by fmtname start;
-run;
+
+%mp_cntlout(libcat=&libcat,fmtlist=&fmtlist,cntlout=&base_fmts)
+
 
 /**
   * Ensure input table and base_formats have consistent lengths and types
@@ -148,19 +150,12 @@ data &inlibds;
     if substr(fmtname,1,1)='$' then type='C';
     else type='N';
   end;
-  if type='N' then start=put(input(start,best.),best16.);
-run;
-data &base_fmts;
-  if 0 then set &template;
-  set &base;
+  if type='N' then do;
+    start=cats(start);
+    end=cats(end);
+  end;
 run;
 
-/*
-format values can be up to 32767 wide.  SQL joins on such a wide column can
-cause buffer issues.  Update ibufsize and reset at the end.
-*/
-%let ibufsize=%sysfunc(getoption(ibufsize));
-options ibufsize=32767 ;
 
 /**
   * Identify new records
@@ -237,9 +232,9 @@ options ibufsize=&ibufsize;
   %end;
   %if &locklibds ne 0 %then %do;
     /* prevent parallel updates */
-    %mp_lockanytable(LOCK,
-      lib=%scan(&libcat,1,.)
-      ,ds=%scan(&libcat,2,.)
+    %mp_lockanytable(LOCK
+      ,lib=%scan(&libcat,1,.)
+      ,ds=%scan(&libcat,2,.)-FC
       ,ref=MP_LOADFORMAT commencing format load
       ,ctl_ds=&locklibds
     )
@@ -250,8 +245,8 @@ options ibufsize=&ibufsize;
   %if &locklibds ne 0 %then %do;
     /* unlock the table */
     %mp_lockanytable(UNLOCK
-      lib=%scan(&libcat,1,.)
-      ,ds=%scan(&libcat,2,.)
+      ,lib=%scan(&libcat,1,.)
+      ,ds=%scan(&libcat,2,.)-FC
       ,ref=MP_LOADFORMAT completed format load
       ,ctl_ds=&locklibds
     )
@@ -259,16 +254,16 @@ options ibufsize=&ibufsize;
   /* track the changes */
   %if &auditlibds ne 0 %then %do;
     %if &locklibds ne 0 %then %do;
-      %mp_lockanytable(LOCK,
-        lib=%scan(&auditlibds,1,.)
+      %mp_lockanytable(LOCK
+        ,lib=%scan(&auditlibds,1,.)
         ,ds=%scan(&auditlibds,2,.)
         ,ref=MP_LOADFORMAT commencing audit table load
         ,ctl_ds=&locklibds
       )
     %end;
 
-    %mp_storediffs(&libcat
-      ,&stageds
+    %mp_storediffs(&libcat-FC
+      ,&inlibds
       ,FMTNAME START
       ,delds=&outds_del
       ,modds=&outds_mod
@@ -279,7 +274,7 @@ options ibufsize=&ibufsize;
 
     %if &locklibds ne 0 %then %do;
       %mp_lockanytable(UNLOCK
-        lib=%scan(&auditlibds,1,.)
+        ,lib=%scan(&auditlibds,1,.)
         ,ds=%scan(&auditlibds,2,.)
         ,ref=MP_LOADFORMAT commencing audit table load
         ,ctl_ds=&locklibds
diff --git a/base/mp_lockanytable.sas b/base/mp_lockanytable.sas
index abae924..a47e09b 100644
--- a/base/mp_lockanytable.sas
+++ b/base/mp_lockanytable.sas
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ data _null_;
   put name '=' value;
 run;
 
-%mp_abort(iftrue= (&ds=0 and &action ne MAKETABLE)
+%mp_abort(iftrue= ("&ds"="0" and &action ne MAKETABLE)
   ,mac=&sysmacroname
   ,msg=%str(dataset was not provided)
 )
diff --git a/base/mp_lockfilecheck.sas b/base/mp_lockfilecheck.sas
index 0a2ae82..ee0997d 100644
--- a/base/mp_lockfilecheck.sas
+++ b/base/mp_lockfilecheck.sas
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ run;
   ,mac=checklock.sas
   ,msg=Aborting with syscc=&syscc on entry.
 )
-%mp_abort(iftrue= (&libds=0)
+%mp_abort(iftrue= ("&libds"="0")
   ,mac=&sysmacroname
   ,msg=%str(libds not provided)
 )
@@ -46,6 +46,12 @@ run;
 %let lib=%upcase(%scan(&libds,1,.));
 %let ds=%upcase(%scan(&libds,2,.));
 
+/* in DC, format catalogs are passed with a -FC suffix. No saslock here! */
+%if %scan(&libds,2,-)=FC %then %do;
+  %put &sysmacroname: Format Catalog detected, no lockfile applied to &libds;
+  %return;
+%end;
+
 /* do not proceed if no observations can be processed */
 %let msg=options obs = 0. syserrortext=%superq(syserrortext);
 %mp_abort(iftrue= (%sysfunc(getoption(OBS))=0)
diff --git a/base/mp_storediffs.sas b/base/mp_storediffs.sas
index f5ddd4d..878cb55 100644
--- a/base/mp_storediffs.sas
+++ b/base/mp_storediffs.sas
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@
 %else %let dbg=*;
 
 /* set up unique and temporary vars */
-%local ds1 ds2 ds3 ds4 hashkey inds_auto inds_keep dslist;
+%local ds1 ds2 ds3 ds4 hashkey inds_auto inds_keep dslist vlist;
 %let ds1=%upcase(work.%mf_getuniquename(prefix=mpsd_ds1));
 %let ds2=%upcase(work.%mf_getuniquename(prefix=mpsd_ds2));
 %let ds3=%upcase(work.%mf_getuniquename(prefix=mpsd_ds3));
@@ -144,12 +144,21 @@ proc transpose data=&ds1
   by &inds_keep &hashkey;
   var _character_;
 run;
+
+%if %index(&libds,-)>0 and %scan(&libds,2,-)=FC %then %do;
+  /* this is a format catalog - cannot query cols directly */
+  %let vlist="FMTNAME","START","END","LABEL","MIN","MAX","DEFAULT","LENGTH"
+    ,"FUZZ","PREFIX","MULT","FILL","NOEDIT","TYPE","SEXCL","EEXCL","HLO"
+    ,"DECSEP","DIG3SEP","DATATYPE","LANGUAGE";
+%end;
+%else %let vlist=%mf_getvarlist(&libds,dlm=%str(,),quote=DOUBLE);
+
 data &ds4;
   length &inds_keep $41 tgtvar_nm $32;
   set &ds2 &ds3 indsname=&inds_auto;
 
   tgtvar_nm=upcase(tgtvar_nm);
-  if tgtvar_nm in (%upcase(%mf_getvarlist(&libds,dlm=%str(,),quote=DOUBLE)));
+  if tgtvar_nm in (%upcase(&vlist));
 
   if &inds_auto="&ds2" then tgtvar_type='N';
   else if &inds_auto="&ds3" then tgtvar_type='C';
diff --git a/tests/crossplatform/mp_cntlout.test.sas b/tests/crossplatform/mp_cntlout.test.sas
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf91aaa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/crossplatform/mp_cntlout.test.sas
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+/**
+  @file
+  @brief Testing mp_cntlout.sas macro
+
+  <h4> SAS Macros </h4>
+  @li mp_cntlout.sas
+  @li mp_assert.sas
+  @li mp_assertscope.sas
+
+**/
+
+libname perm (work);
+data work.loadfmts;
+  length fmtname $32;
+  eexcl='Y';
+  type='N';
+  do i=1 to 100;
+    fmtname=cats('SASJS_',i,'X');
+    do j=1 to 100;
+      start=cats(j);
+      end=cats(j+1);
+      label= cats('Dummy ',start);
+      output;
+    end;
+  end;
+run;
+proc format cntlin=work.loadfmts library=perm.testcat;
+run;
+
+%mp_assertscope(SNAPSHOT)
+%mp_cntlout(libcat=perm.testcat,cntlout=work.cntlout)
+%mp_assertscope(COMPARE)
+
+%mp_assert(
+  iftrue=(%mf_nobs(work.cntlout)=10000),
+  desc=Checking first hash diff,
+  outds=work.test_results
+)
diff --git a/tests/crossplatform/mp_stackdiffs.test.sas b/tests/crossplatform/mp_stackdiffs.test.sas
index fd9a32e..82989e5 100644
--- a/tests/crossplatform/mp_stackdiffs.test.sas
+++ b/tests/crossplatform/mp_stackdiffs.test.sas
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ run;
   ,mdebug=1
 )
 
+
 %mp_assertscope(SNAPSHOT)
 
 /**