topic Re: Libname and filename to multiple location in SAS Programming

Libname and filename to multiple location

RahulG — Thu, 23 Jun 2016 06:04:11 GMT

Libname Test1 (C:\t1, C:\t2, C:\t3);

Filename Test2 (C:\t1, C:\t2, C:\t3);

Ques 1- In Libname, If all three folder do not exist then Libname gives WARNING but for filename there is no such warning generated. Why?

Ques 2- For libname/Filename, if member exists in multiple folder then which member would be refferred ? Example - Data1.sas7bdat with different columns exists in t1 and t2 folder then which Data1 would come in libname. I think it will take from t1 folder as it is written first. Please confirm whether order of folder name matters? Is the same concept applies on Filename.

Re: Libname and filename to multiple location

Reeza — Thu, 23 Jun 2016 06:56:21 GMT

Q1. You can use a filename to create a file, in this case it doesn't need to preexist to create a file.

I don't know the answer to Q2

Re: Libname and filename to multiple location

Kurt_Bremser — Thu, 23 Jun 2016 07:34:05 GMT

Since a filename can be used to create a new file, SAS doesn't complain if no file is present at the time you define the file reference.

A library must be present at the time the libname is executed.

If you want to create new files/datasets, spanned definitions are a BAD IDEA. Don't do it.

And if you're not sure what is where, don't use them either. Be specific.

- Computers are dumb ("Computer sind doof" - Spliff, 1984)

Re: Libname and filename to multiple location

Tim_SAS — Thu, 23 Jun 2016 12:51:50 GMT

Q2 is easy enough to test. What is the output from this program?

libname t1 "C:\t1";
libname t2 "C:\t2";
data t1.test;
	x = 'This is the data set in T1';
data t2.test;
	x = 'This is the data set in T2';
libname both ("C:\t1" "C:\t2");
title 'T1 is first';
proc print data=both.test;
run;
libname both clear;
libname both ("C:\t2" "C:\t1");
title 'T2 is first';
proc print data=both.test;
run;