topic Re: Import Fixed Length File in SAS Programming

Import Fixed Length File

Reeza — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:10:12 GMT

I have a fixed length file as follows and am having trouble reading it in.

This is what the data looks like

XXXXXXX0101APR201431MAR201515OCT2012	1H0H0H0A
XXXXXXX0201APR201431MAR201525MAY2009	0H0H0H0B
XXXXXXX0301APR201431MAR201510SEP1945	1H0H0H0C
XXXXXXX0401APR201431MAR201515SEP1953	0H0H0H0B

My code, which doesn't work. It reads in the ID's but then all the other fields are missing, when I can see them in the text file.

data WANT;

infile "Sample.txt" lrecl=54 truncover firstobs=1;

informat ID $9.

DATE1 date9.

DATE2 date9.

DATE3 date9.

DATE4 date9.

FLAG1 $1.

LOCATION $6.

FLAG2 $1. ;

input ID $

Date1

Date2

Date3

Date4

Flag1 $

Location $

Flag2 $

;

run;

Re: Import Fixed Length File

PGStats — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:19:32 GMT

You need to use the good old Column version of the INPUT statement

http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/lestmtsref/63323/HTML/default/viewer.htm#n13ejk9swz5vrbn0z34iazfrp0wp.htm

Re: Import Fixed Length File

Reeza — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:26:23 GMT

I've tried that as well, but couldn't get it to work with the Date9 values. How do I specify the format with those?

Re: Import Fixed Length File

stat_sas — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 17:21:46 GMT

Hi,

Not sure about the exact positioning of the variables in text file, this is based on datalines may be helpful in importing text file.

data WANT;

infile datalines;

input ID $7. Date1 8-9 Date2 date9. Date3 date9. date4 date9. @39 Flag1 $1. @40 Location $6. @46 Flag2 $1.;

datalines;

XXXXXXX0101APR201431MAR201515OCT2012 1H0H0H0A

XXXXXXX0201APR201431MAR201525MAY2009 0H0H0H0B

XXXXXXX0301APR201431MAR201510SEP1945 1H0H0H0C

XXXXXXX0401APR201431MAR201515SEP1953 0H0H0H0B

;

run;

Re: Import Fixed Length File

data_null__ — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 17:43:16 GMT

Reeza wrote:

I have a fixed length file as follows and am having trouble reading it in.

This is what the data looks like

XXXXXXX0101APR201431MAR201515OCT2012	1H0H0H0A
XXXXXXX0201APR201431MAR201525MAY2009	0H0H0H0B
XXXXXXX0301APR201431MAR201510SEP1945	1H0H0H0C
XXXXXXX0401APR201431MAR201515SEP1953	0H0H0H0B

My code, which doesn't work. It reads in the ID's but then all the other fields are missing, when I can see them in the text file.

data WANT;

infile "Sample.txt" lrecl=54 truncover firstobs=1;

informat ID $9.

DATE1 date9.

DATE2 date9.

DATE3 date9.

DATE4 date9.

FLAG1 $1.

LOCATION $6.

FLAG2 $1. ;

input ID $

Date1

Date2

Date3

Date4

Flag1 $

Location $

Flag2 $

;

run;

The input statement as you have written is using LIST input. You probably want to use FORMATTED input with a column pointer here an there.

Re: Import Fixed Length File

PGStats — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 17:45:03 GMT

Now I remember why I never use it. Column input is limited to standard variable types, and that doesn't include dates (?), and doesn't support informats. In other words, it is fairly useless.

Try this instead:

data WANT;

infile "sample.txt" truncover;

input @1 ID $9.

@10 Date1 date9.

@19 Date2 date9.

@28 Date3 date9.

@37 Date4 ?? date9.

@46 Flag1 $1.

@47 Location $6.

@53 Flag2 $1.;

run;

Re: Import Fixed Length File

Reeza — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 17:49:52 GMT

I fully agree, but we're required to submit it this way. Mixing and matching confuses me, but I got it to work.

Thanks all!