topic Re: Input statement in SAS Programming

Input statement

JatinRai — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:58:12 GMT

Hi

This is a code from the Sas website:

data _null_;
infile file-specification-1;
file file-specification-2;
input;
put _infile_;
run;

What is _infile_ over here and what does it do? Is it an automatic variable like _all_?

Can someone please explain this data step?

Re: Input statement

Doc_Duke — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 16:51:44 GMT

It's easier to help if you cite where you found the code. That way we can comment in context.

Basically, the DATA step takes the data from file 1 and puts it into file 2. It is different from a simple OS copy in that it can do some rudimentary code translation for different environments (depending on the additional parameters specified in the INFILE and FILE statements).

The _INFILE_ automatic variable is documented with the INFILE statement,
http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/lrdict/63026/HTML/default/viewer.htm#a000146932.htm

The way I have most commonly used this is to create a hex print of the INFILE buffer when I am trying debug some messy data problem.

Doc Muhlbaier
Duke

Re: Input statement

JatinRai — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 17:00:31 GMT

Thanks! It was helpful.

Re: Input statement

MikeZdeb — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 03:23:44 GMT

hi ... in addition to the SAS documentation, you can learn a lot about uses of _INFILE_ by reading ...

first: "Now _INFILE_ is an Automatic Variable − So What?"
Howard Schreier

http://www.nesug.org/proceedings/nesug01/cc/cc4018bw.pdf

then try: "More _Infile_ Magic"
Peter Crawford

http://www2.sas.com/proceedings/sugi28/086-28.pdf