topic Re: data import infile different results on different machines in SAS Data Management

data import infile different results on different machines

PhilipH — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 07:42:53 GMT

Hi SAS Experts,

we run the below code and it imports 223 rows on 3 different machines using EG 7.1. and 6.x all using Windows 7.

The probem is we got one machine using EG 7.1 that imports only 220 rows. We have no idea why this is. The same code, the same input file. Any clues?

data Importcont_Import;
infile datalines;
length fil2read $40;
input fil2read $;
infile dummy filevar=fil2read end=done DSD
        DLM=';';
do while(not done);
INPUT
	        A               : $CHAR40.
	        B               : $CHAR40.
	        C               : $CHAR20.
	        D               : $CHAR20.
	        E               : $CHAR150.
	        F               : $CHAR25.
	        G               : $CHAR25.
	        H               : $CHAR25.
	        I               : $CHAR25.
	        J              : $CHAR25.
	        K              : $CHAR25.
	        L              : $CHAR25. 
	        M              : $CHAR25.
	        N              : $CHAR25.
	        O              : $CHAR20.
	        P              : $CHAR25.
	        Q              : $CHAR20.
	        R              : $CHAR20.
	        S              : $CHAR25.
	        T              : $CHAR50.
	        U              : $CHAR20.
	        V              : $CHAR20.
	        W              : $CHAR20.
	        X              : $CHAR25.
	        Y              : $CHAR20.
	        Z              : $CHAR2000. ;
  output;
end;
datalines;
C:\temp\NW201634.csv
;

Many thanks!

Re: data import infile different results on different machines

RW9 — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 09:25:27 GMT

What a peculier way to import a file, what with the datalines bit, also peculier that you are reading in a Comma Seperated Variable file with a delimiter of a Semi-colon. As for why it is not working, other than the two oddities above, could be any number of things. Are all EG's installed on the same OS, is the file created by the same OS - Unix has different end of line characters as opposed to Windows for instance. It could be SAS options, don't know which one would impact it. Try running proc options on each a working machine and the non working machine.

Re: data import infile different results on different machines

PhilipH — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 09:53:11 GMT

Hello RW9,

Thanks for you hints. The columns are delimited with ; in the data.
There is more than one file that I import in the datalines bit but for now, we are testing with one.
Yes, EG is installed on Windows 7 machines. I used https://www.diffchecker.com and could not find a difference in the proc options; output.

What are you other ideas on "any number of things" ? 🙂

Re: data import infile different results on different machines

RW9 — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 09:58:50 GMT

Well, if the OS is the same, the files are the same, the import program is the same, and the options are all the same then it sounds like a ticket into SAS help to me as that shouldn't happen. Only other thing I can think off, have you looked at the imported data on both machnes - i.e. identify which rows are not imported - could it be that there is no end of line, so its reading over the end of line? Remember there are special characters to delimit lines amongst other things, so a text comparison might ignore those.

Identify what is missing, then focus in on those rows, use a hex editor (free portable ones like HN_Hex_Editor) to look at those rows closely, is there any special characters. If you could snip down the file to the bit that doesn't work, you could post that here so we could look.

Re: data import infile different results on different machines

ballardw — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 16:44:39 GMT

Do you get anything in the log about "went to new line"?

Since you are not specifying an LRECL value it may be that the one machine has a default LRECL value smaller than the others.

Run Proc Options and examine the LRECL value.

Re: data import infile different results on different machines

PhilipH — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 08:27:04 GMT

Hi.

Thanks for the reply. I opened a ticket with SAS support.

Both machines have LRECL=32767 .