topic Re: a libname definition in SAS Programming

a libname definition

GN0001 — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 16:10:53 GMT

Hello team,

I have a libname definition as:

libname xabc "&abcref.

I can't figure out how this libname is defined as this. This libname is not a call to a macro which is already defined.

In addition to that there is other libnames are defined above this:

libname xabc "&abcref."

How can we define a libname as above?

Respectfully,

blueblue

Re: a libname definition

ballardw — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 16:28:13 GMT

@GN0001 wrote:

Hello team,

I have a libname definition as:

libname xabc "&abcref.

I can't figure out how this libname is defined as this. This libname is not a call to a macro which is already defined.

In addition to that there is other libnames are defined above this:

libname xabc "&abcref."

How can we define a libname as above?

Respectfully,

blueblue

Not actually sure what your question is.

If the macro variable used as above the library may be created based on system settings. There is a SAS system option DLCREATEDIR that will create directory for a library if it does not already exist, which is set on my system.

See the log bit below from my system.

167  libname myref "&abc.";
WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference ABC not resolved.
NOTE: Library MYREF was created.
NOTE: Libref MYREF was successfully assigned as follows:
      Engine:        V9
      Physical Name: C:\Users\Owner\&abc.

The macro variable does not exist so there is no name to resolve. Therefor SAS is using the current working directory and created a folder named &abc (which I will delete very soon).

The working directory may change, read your log.

If the option is off then there is no library created:

170  options dlcreatedir=off;
171  libname newlib "&pdq.";
WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference PDQ not resolved.
NOTE: Library NEWLIB does not exist.

Make sure that your macro variable contains a valid path to folder before running the LIBNAME statement.

Or don't run it at all if the variable isn't defined.

Re: a libname definition

SASKiwi — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 21:32:12 GMT

There is at least two things wrong with this statement -libname xabc "&abcref.

Here is the same statement with the missing syntax (double quote and semicolon) added: libname xabc "&abcref.";

You also need to the macro variable &abcref defined somewhere, possibly like this: %let abcref = <a valid folder path>;

And respectfully you should be looking at the LIBNAME documentation to confirm if you have the correct syntax or not.

Re: a libname definition

Sajid01 — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 00:19:22 GMT

In addition to the error pointed by @SASKiwi , the macro abcref needs to be defined prior to being called.