topic How to readin text file inside a zipped file without zipping?! in SAS Programming

How to readin text file inside a zipped file without zipping?!

hellohere — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 15:06:56 GMT

I have a zipped file with thousands of text files, and just need readin a few of them.

How to readin text file inside a zipped file without zipping?! Is that possible?

Say the zipped file name is filezipped.zip and the file inside need be readin is file_0001.txt.

What would be the sample code?!

I know how to unzip the file within SAS and readin text file.

Re: How to readin text file inside a zipped file without zipping?!

Kurt_Bremser — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 16:47:02 GMT

First, define a file reference for the zip archive, then use this with a member name in the DATA step.

filename zipfile zip "/path_to_file/filezipped.zip";

data want;
infile zip(file_0001.txt) /* other options */;
length ....;
format ....;
input ....;
run;

Re: How to readin text file inside a zipped file without zipping?!

Kurt_Bremser — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 16:51:51 GMT

For reference, see Example 3 of FILENAME Statement: ZIP Access Method

(Maxim 1: Read the Documentation)

Re: How to readin text file inside a zipped file without zipping?!

Tom — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 18:48:12 GMT

You can read it using the ZIP fileref engine.

Either directly in the INFILE statement.

infile 'filezipped.zip' zip member='file_0001.txt' ;

Or by first creating a FILEREF .

filename file1 zip 'filezipped.zip' member='file_0001.txt' ;

and then using the fileref in the INFILE statement

infile file1 ;

You could also use the fileref in other places where you might have used a physical filename. Such as PROC IMPORT.

proc import file=file1 .....;

You could also make a fileref that does not specify which member of the ZIP file to read.

filename zipfile zip 'filezipped.zip' ;

That is the same as pointing a fileref at a directory .

In the INFILE statement you can then select which member you want using the normal old fashion SAS syntax:

infile zipfile('file_0001.txt') ;

Re: How to readin text file inside a zipped file without zipping?!

ballardw — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 06:29:51 GMT

How good is the documentation of the file you want to read? As in do you know the variable type, length and possibly the needed Informat such as for dates, times or currency and matching display Format?

Re: How to readin text file inside a zipped file without zipping?!

ChrisHemedinger — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 14:08:46 GMT

For reference, we have several examples here: