https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Input-data-inside-data-step/m-p/59430#M12876 Thank you for the note. The missing period is the problem. After I used '$30.', it worked!<BR /> <BR /> -FD Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:52:56 GMT deleted_user 2010-08-02T18:52:56Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Input-data-inside-data-step/m-p/59428#M12874 I need to read in some data within a data step. If I use $30, then the results are blank. If I just use $ for ds_name, then only the first 8 characters are read. The data is one record per line. What else should I do? I am using SAS8.2<BR /> <BR /> Thanks,<BR /> -FD<BR /> data test;<BR /> input ds_name $30 ;<BR /> datalines;<BR /> prestudy<BR /> qs160009<BR /> suppqs160009<BR /> qs160012<BR /> suppqs160012<BR /> qs160014<BR /> suppqs160014<BR /> qs160016<BR /> suppqs160016<BR /> qs160018<BR /> suppqs160018<BR /> qs160019;<BR /> run; Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:53:07 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Input-data-inside-data-step/m-p/59428#M12874 deleted_user 2010-08-02T17:53:07Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Input-data-inside-data-step/m-p/59429#M12875 Your use of the INFORMAT $30 is incorrect - it requires a trailing period.<BR /> <BR /> Also, suggest you work to get up to a more current, supported SAS version as soon as possible.<BR /> <BR /> Scott Barry<BR /> SBBWorks, Inc. Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:58:05 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Input-data-inside-data-step/m-p/59429#M12875 sbb 2010-08-02T17:58:05Z https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Input-data-inside-data-step/m-p/59430#M12876 Thank you for the note. The missing period is the problem. After I used '$30.', it worked!<BR /> <BR /> -FD Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:52:56 GMT https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Programming/Input-data-inside-data-step/m-p/59430#M12876 deleted_user 2010-08-02T18:52:56Z