topic Re: Need help to create a file with TEXT strings and SAS dataset values in SAS Programming

Need help to create a file with TEXT strings and SAS dataset values

chatur — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 21:44:42 GMT

I need to create a text file that includes text strings concatenated with field values from SAS datasets.

For example, here is a file:

My name is: John

Your name is: Jack

We live in: California

Here My name is: is a string

And John is a value of a field from a SAS dataset

Thanks to all who respond.

Re: Need help to create a file with TEXT strings and SAS dataset values

ballardw — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 22:05:52 GMT

A data step with PUT statements and a FILE statement to identify the output file name are one of the basic tools.

For example:

data _null_;
   set sashelp.class;
   file "c:\foldername\textfilename.txt";
   put "Child's name is " name;
   put "Child's gender is " sex;
   put "Child's age is " age;
run;

You can test the output but using FILE PRINT; instead of an actual file name it the output will be directed to your Results window.

There are options to control which column values appear such as @n where n is as column number, or + n to add n print positions to the output.

Caution: text written this way will seldom align vertically unless you use a fixed width font such as Courier to view the file.

Re: Need help to create a file with TEXT strings and SAS dataset values

Reeza — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 22:10:45 GMT

Take a look into PROC ODSTEXT as well.

Re: Need help to create a file with TEXT strings and SAS dataset values

chatur — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 00:40:42 GMT

Thanks so much. This is very helpful.

One follow up -
how would you write something like:

Child's name is "John"
Child's age is 12

(essentially, some data values need to be in quotes while others not)

Re: Need help to create a file with TEXT strings and SAS dataset values

chatur — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 00:40:57 GMT

thanks. i will check it out.

Re: Need help to create a file with TEXT strings and SAS dataset values

Astounding — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 03:25:47 GMT

To add quotes around the child's name, modify this statement:

put "Child's name is " name;

Within a set of quotes, repeating the quote gets printed as a quote. Yes, it sounds confusing, but it's easy once you try it:

put "Child's name is """ name  +(-1) '"';

With three quotes in a row ("""), the first two printed as a quote. The third one ends the string.

The PUT statements leaves a blank after printing an unformatted variable (NAME). So +(-1) moves the pointer back a space allowing the PUT statement to overwrite that blank. Then '"' replaces the blank with a double quote.

Re: Need help to create a file with TEXT strings and SAS dataset values

Tom — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 03:41:45 GMT

@chatur wrote:
Thanks so much. This is very helpful.

One follow up -
how would you write something like:

Child's name is "John"
Child's age is 12

(essentially, some data values need to be in quotes while others not)

To add quotes use the $QUOTE format.

put 'Child''s name is ' name :$quote. 
  / 'Child''s age is ' age 
;

Re: Need help to create a file with TEXT strings and SAS dataset values

chatur — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 17:18:35 GMT

Thank you for your response. I was able to figure it out and that is also how I have structured it.

Re: Need help to create a file with TEXT strings and SAS dataset values

chatur — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 01:34:55 GMT

Thank you!