topic Re: skip a data step if lib ref not found in SAS Programming

skip a data step if lib ref not found

GailVanCourt — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 17:34:20 GMT

prior code is OK.

42 libname TEST '/sas/sasmain/mydept/Test Report';

NOTE: Library TEST does not exist.

43 run;

I'd like to skip the next datastep if the TEST library is not found, or perhaps use a macro variable for the phrase "successfully", depending on the return code of the libname statement (above). Is there a return code to test ?

data _null_;

file outbox

cc="bossman.last@compny.com"

subject="Report process completed - &sysuserid " ;

put " ";

put "&sysdate The Test/Report process successfully completed by: &sysuserid ";

put " " ;

run;

Re: skip a data step if lib ref not found

PaigeMiller — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 17:53:50 GMT

You can use the LIBREF function in a macro variable as in

%let abc=%sysfunc(libref(test));

If macro variable &ABC is 0 then the library exists, otherwise it does not exist.

You can then create a branch around this data step inside a macro, or if you have SAS V.94M5 or later, you can use it in a simple %IF - %THEN block, even outside a macro.

Re: skip a data step if lib ref not found

Shmuel — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 18:01:32 GMT

To skip a step need a macro programing:

%macro chklib(path);
   %if %sysfunc(fileexist(&path)) %then %do;
        libname TEST "&path";
		data _null_;
		file outbox
		cc="bossman.last@compny.com"
		subject="Report process completed - &sysuserid " ;
		put " ";
		put "&sysdate The Test/Report process successfully completed by: &sysuserid ";
		put " " ;
		run;
	%end;
%mend chklib;
%chklib(/sas/sasmain/mydept/Test Report);

Re: skip a data step if lib ref not found

PaigeMiller — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 20:20:15 GMT

With all due respect, @Shmuel , I think your very close but off by a teensy little detail. The question was if the libref exists, not whether or not the folder exists. The folder can exist but libref not assigned, and I would think the original poster would want that to fail, at least as far as I understand the question. So the LIBREF function is needed, not FILEEXIST.

Re: skip a data step if lib ref not found

Shmuel — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 23:47:45 GMT

@PaigeMiller , I could have a misunderstanding of the query.

@GailVanCourt asked for

             prior code is OK. 
42 libname TEST '/sas/sasmain/mydept/Test Report';
NOTE: Library TEST does not exist.
43 run;
44
         I'd like to skip the next datastep  if the TEST library is not found,

I can't regenerate such NOTE but could think of two different issues:

1) path does not exist

2) libref was not assigned

In case 1 I would expect an ERROR message, not a NOTE.

So my answer focused on the requirement - how to check and skip a datastep.

@PaigeMiller - can you explain in what situation, assignment of a libref creates the NOTE: Library <name> does not exist, as shown above?

Re: skip a data step if lib ref not found

Shmuel — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 05:48:35 GMT

Finally I have regenerated the issue as shown in next log:

73         libname test "/folders/myfolders/none";
 NOTE: Library TEST does not exist.
 74         
 75         %let abc=%sysfunc(libref(test));
 76         %put ABC=&abc;
 ABC=-70008
 77         
 78         %macro chklib(path);
 79            %if not %sysfunc(fileexist(&path))
 80            %then %put NOT EXIST;
 81            %else %put PATH EXISTS;
 82         %mend;
 83         %chklib(/folders/myfolders/flat);
 PATH EXISTS
 84         %chklib(/folders/myfolders/none);
 NOT EXIST

Re: skip a data step if lib ref not found

Kurt_Bremser — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 06:28:18 GMT

Here is some code that illustrates a few things about the LIBNAME statement, the LIBREF function, and how SAS keeps certain things in the background:

Before the code is run, a subdirectory xxx exists in /folders/myfolders, but not a subdirectory yyy.

libname test1 '/folders/myfolders/xxx';
libname test2 '/folders/myfolders/yyy';

%macro chklib(lr);
   %if not %sysfunc(libref(&lr))
   %then %put EXIST;
   %else %put not EXISTS;
%mend;

%chklib(test1)
%chklib(test2)

%put %sysfunc(dcreate(yyy,/folders/myfolders));

%chklib(test2);

Log:

 73         libname test1 '/folders/myfolders/xxx';
 NOTE: Libref TEST1 was successfully assigned as follows: 
       Engine:        V9 
       Physical Name: /folders/myfolders/xxx
 74         libname test2 '/folders/myfolders/yyy';
 NOTE: Bibliothek TEST2 existiert nicht.
 75         
 76         %macro chklib(lr);
 77            %if not %sysfunc(libref(&lr))
 78            %then %put EXIST;
 79            %else %put not EXISTS;
 80         %mend;
 81         
 82         %chklib(test1)
 EXIST
 83         %chklib(test2)
 not EXISTS
 84         
 85         %put %sysfunc(dcreate(yyy,/folders/myfolders));
 /folders/myfolders/yyy
 86         
 87         %chklib(test2);
 EXIST

So, although the library can't be assigned correctly (which is also correctly reported by the LIBREF function, which returns a 0 if the libref exists, non-zero otherwise), the definition attempt is kept, and when the physical path is created, the LIBREF function reports the libref as defined, although no new LIBNAME statement was executed.

Re: skip a data step if lib ref not found

GailVanCourt — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 13:01:53 GMT

I've been experimenting with all the replies. ALL are great, and worked. Keeping it simple, with a few comments for understanding. Thank you, Gail

Re: skip a data step if lib ref not found

GailVanCourt — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 13:11:50 GMT

Thank You. I was pleasantly surprised by all the responses.

Re: skip a data step if lib ref not found

Tom — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 14:57:24 GMT

The result of the LIBREF() function is tri-level, not binary.

0 means libref was defined and file/directory was found.

negative means libref was defined but file/directory was not found.

positive means libref does not exist.

72    libname test1 'c:\downloads\';
NOTE: Libref TEST1 was successfully assigned as follows:
      Engine:        V9
      Physical Name: c:\downloads
73    libname test2 'c:\no such directory\';
NOTE: Library TEST2 does not exist.
74
75    %put TEST1=%sysfunc(libref(TEST1));
TEST1=0
76    %put TEST2=%sysfunc(libref(TEST2));
TEST2=-70008
77    %put TEST3=%sysfunc(libref(TEST3));
TEST3=70006

Re: skip a data step if lib ref not found

GailVanCourt — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 16:28:10 GMT

Thank you again. I was wondering about the ABC=-70008, in Shmuels' earlier post.
Keeping it (as) Simple (as possible)