topic Re: How to refer to a data file in the same folder without the full path? in New SAS User

How to refer to a data file in the same folder without the full path?

LarryWang — Fri, 01 May 2020 00:52:55 GMT

I'm new to SAS but have other programming background

University Edition in Windows.

I realized that if I use

infile '/folders/myfolders/cody/learn/bankdata.txt';

the program won't work if I change any of the folder names, or if I move the .sas and .txt files together to a different folder.

Is there a way to refer to the data file in the same folder without using the full physical path?

Thanks in advance.

P.S. I've searched around a bit but in vain.

Re: How to refer to a data file in the same folder without the full path?

Reeza — Fri, 01 May 2020 01:49:47 GMT

SAS doesn't have a great concept of working directories like other programming languages (R/Python) are the comparisons.

Instead you can set macro variables though that can be reused easily.

I put this at the top of my programs:

%let working_dir = /folders/myfolders/learn/;

Then use it as:

infile "&working_dir/bankdata.txt";

For macro variables you need to use double quotes and consider it exact text replacement.

Here's a quick tutorial on it, but I highly recommend learning data steps first and other options.

UCLA introductory tutorial on macro variables and macros
https://stats.idre.ucla.edu/sas/seminars/sas-macros-introduction/

Examples of common macro usage
https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Communities-Library/SAS-9-4-Macro-Language-Reference-Has-a-New-Appendix/ta-p/291716

Re: How to refer to a data file in the same folder without the full path?

LarryWang — Fri, 01 May 2020 03:08:18 GMT

Thank you, Reeza.

I also found a macro to find current directory path:

https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Communities-Library/Find-current-directory-path/ta-p/485785

But it doesn't seem to work with University Edition, which runs on a virtual machine.

I got:

curdir = /opt/sasinside/SASConfig/Lev1/SASApp

which I have no idea about.

Larry

Re: How to refer to a data file in the same folder without the full path?

Reeza — Fri, 01 May 2020 03:10:52 GMT

That post doesn't answer your question as far as I understand it and your example.

A quick google search came up with this though, which means that the working directory issue in SAS is gone to some degree. One issue is that SAS _may_ output temporary files to the same location so you'll need to be careful.

https://blogs.sas.com/content/sgf/2018/05/18/how-to-change-your-working-directory-for-sas-with-the-dlgcdir-data-step-function/

Re: How to refer to a data file in the same folder without the full path?

LarryWang — Fri, 01 May 2020 03:26:21 GMT

Thanks, again. I think both methods would help address my initial request, in a regular version of SAS.

There seem to be limitations on how I can access folders in the Univ Edition. DLGCDIR wouldn't work either.

Larry

Re: How to refer to a data file in the same folder without the full path?

Reeza — Fri, 01 May 2020 15:35:12 GMT

The method I initially posted works fine in SAS UE - I've used it many times.

Re: How to refer to a data file in the same folder without the full path?

Reeza — Fri, 01 May 2020 15:52:52 GMT

Actually I just tried both and they work fine in SAS UE.

SAS UE is more like working with a SAS server edition that doesn't have access to your local drive except through your shared folder, in this case the myfolders folder or any additional shared folders you created.

data _null_;
rc = dlgcdir("/folders/myfolders");
put rc;

run;

And check the log.