topic Re: Use SAS to search for key names in other SAS Programs in SAS Programming

Use SAS to search for key names in other SAS Programs

djrisks — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:57:33 GMT

Hey,

Is it possible for SAS to search for other SAS Programs in a given directory, and then open up the program and search for a specific name?

For example, in every SAS Program I write, I put my name in the Code Header. I would like to find all the SAS programs that include my name within a particular directory.

Many thanks in advance ,

Kriss Harris

Re: Use SAS to search for key names in other SAS Programs

data_null__ — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:37:41 GMT

You can probability find really good examples by searching these forums

You will need to learn about

PIPE access method to build a list of files to open and search
FILEVAR= infile statement option
END= infile statement option
DO WHILE(NOT end of file)
FILENAME= infile statement option maybe.
special variable _INFLE_
INPUT;
FIND and or FINDW or PRXfunctions(for complex finds)
RETURN statement
And a few "connecting" statements

It's really quite easy I do it all the time.

Re: Use SAS to search for key names in other SAS Programs

djrisks — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:49:46 GMT

Thank you for your guidance! It's well appreciated I have seen other papers mentioning the PIPE statement too so I will research the above.

I was just looking into the systask command too, but the above way seems like the way to go!

Thank you.

Regards Kriss

Re: Use SAS to search for key names in other SAS Programs

data_null__ — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:58:00 GMT

You could use SYSTASK to run a DIR command and use output redirection to send the output to a file and then read that file using SAS INFILE.

With PIPE the file(DIR COMMAND) is executed when the file is opened with INFILE and the output is sent to SAS as if it were any other file. The same but different.

Re: Use SAS to search for key names in other SAS Programs

djrisks — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:17:08 GMT

Okay I see now.

Thanks for the clarification!