topic Re: Copy file from one directory to another using X command in SAS Programming

Copy file from one directory to another using X command

ambadi007 — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 12:37:18 GMT

Dear Experts,

I am trying to copy the file which created in run getting an error saying the directory specified is incorrect.I am trying to achieve it in macros and while copying i am removing the date string as well.Please have a look the code

%let rptpath = 'R:\CDW Reporting\Ad-Hoc\WR#_JAS0031 -Walls Regional Hospital Hainey\Data Out\';
%let rptname = 'Walls Regional Hospital Hainey Report';
%let rptdate = today();
%let rptdatefmt = YYMMDDd10.;
%let path=&rptpath;

%put &report;

%let path=&rptpath;
%let name=&rptname ;
%let date=&rptdate;
%let format=&rptdatefmt;


X'COPY "&path\&name || ' ' || put(&date,&format).xlsx" "C:\Users\UCS1MKP\Desktop\y\&rptname.xlsx"';

Re: Copy file from one directory to another using X command

Kurt_Bremser — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 13:05:01 GMT

Do not use quotes in

%let rptpath = 'R:\CDW Reporting\Ad-Hoc\WR#_JAS0031 -Walls Regional Hospital Hainey\Data Out\';
%let rptname = 'Walls Regional Hospital Hainey Report';

Instead use

%let rptpath = R:\CDW Reporting\Ad-Hoc\WR#_JAS0031 -Walls Regional Hospital Hainey\Data Out\;
%let rptname = Walls Regional Hospital Hainey Report;

Re: Copy file from one directory to another using X command

RW9 — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 13:16:58 GMT

Why not write the file directly to the location you want?

Re: Copy file from one directory to another using X command

Shmuel — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 13:20:22 GMT

Take out the single quotes:

%let rptpath = R:\CDW Reporting\Ad-Hoc\WR#_JAS0031 -Walls Regional Hospital Hainey\Data Out\;

%let rptname = Walls Regional Hospital Hainey Report;

otherwise they become part of the macro variable.

Your line:

%put &report;

you havn't defined a value to the macro variable &report.

The X statement should be enclosed in a data step:

You probably meant to write:

%let rptpath = R:\CDW Reporting\Ad-Hoc\WR#_JAS0031 -Walls Regional Hospital Hainey\Data Out\;
%let rptname = Walls Regional Hospital Hainey Report;
%let rptdate = today();
%let rptdatefmt = YYMMDDd10.;

data _NULL_;
cmd = "COPY &rptpath.&name" || put(&rptdate,&rptdatefmt) || ".xlsx C:\Users\UCS1MKP\Desktop\y\&rptname..xlsx";
call system(cmd);
run;

Pay attention: at &rptname..xlsx

I used two dots, the 1st to assign the end of the macro varaible and the 2nd as part of the name.

Re: Copy file from one directory to another using X command

ambadi007 — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 16:57:46 GMT

Hi Shmuel,

I used the code but still I am getting the error while copying the error "The system cannnot find the file specified"

%let rptpath = R:\CDW Reporting\Ad-Hoc\WR#_JAS0031 -Walls Regional Hospital Hainey\Data Out\;
%let rptname = Walls Regional Hospital Hainey Report;
%let rptdate = today();
%let rptdatefmt = YYMMDDd10.;


data _NULL_;
 cmd = "COPY &rptpath.&rptname" ||put(&rptdate,&rptdatefmt) || ".xlsx C:\Users\UCS1MKP\Desktop\y\&rptname..xlsx";
 call system(cmd);
run;

Is there any problem with this code I used?

Re: Copy file from one directory to another using X command

Shmuel — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 17:10:58 GMT

I suggest you put the command CMD to the log and copy it in a DOS / command window.

Does it work ? Is the path, name, etc - realy combine the full path and report name you want to copy ?

Using X or call system should run same code as if it was run manually.

Run:

data _NULL_;
 cmd = "COPY &rptpath.&rptname" ||put(&rptdate,&rptdatefmt) || ".xlsx C:\Users\UCS1MKP\Desktop\y\&rptname..xlsx";
put cmd=;
 /* call system(cmd); */
run;

maybe there are imbeded blanks to remove.

Re: Copy file from one directory to another using X command

ballardw — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 17:42:53 GMT

Your command resolves to

COPY R:\CDW Reporting\Ad-Hoc\WR#_JAS0031 -Walls Regional Hospital Hainey\Data Out\Walls Regional Hospital Hainey Report2016-12-05.xlsx C:\Users\UCS1MKP\Desktop\y\Walls Regional Hospital Hainey Report.xlsx

The copy command is likely not going to like SPACES inside the file names unless the whole file is enclosed in quotes.

Re: Copy file from one directory to another using X command

Shmuel — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 19:55:53 GMT

I have checked in windows command window, you need doble quotes to enclose path or file name with embeded spaces.

Then change the code into:

data _NULL_;
 cmd = "COPY ""&rptpath.&rptname" ||put(&rptdate,&rptdatefmt) || ".xlsx"" ""C:\Users\UCS1MKP\Desktop\y\&rptname..xlsx"" ";
put cmd=; /* call system(cmd); */
run;

Re: Copy file from one directory to another using X command

Shmuel — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 19:58:10 GMT

If need try run the command in CMD window and
add quoutes until it works, then adapt the SAS code.

Re: Copy file from one directory to another using X command

Kurt_Bremser — Tue, 06 Dec 2016 07:47:18 GMT

Bottom line:

DO.NOT.USE.BLANKS.IN.FILENAMES.

Use underlines instead. Blanks serve no purpose that can't be handled with underlines and only cause additional work and often lots of grief.

Re: Copy file from one directory to another using X command

ambadi007 — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 09:24:35 GMT

Hi Shmuel,

Iam still stucked in this. Is there any other way to rename the file . Instead to copy to different folder? Just to rename the file

Please advice

Re: Copy file from one directory to another using X command

Shmuel — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 11:16:52 GMT

You probably can force using file name by replacing spaces into underscores

but, can you force the system to do the same upon the path name ?
That is creating a new path without embeded spaces.

If you have the syntax to rename it by windows command line then it is possible

to submit such command by SAS.

I am running sas UE (university edition) on linux and cannot test it on windows,

even not use X or call system.

Re: Copy file from one directory to another using X command

chrej5am — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 13:41:58 GMT

Hi this code will handle files with spaces in name of the file, if you are still looking for a solution

X %unquote(%str(%'copy "C:\file with spaces.txt" "C:\file with spaces2.txt" /y%'));

Anyway, take the advice given and try to avoid such file names.

Re: Copy file from one directory to another using X command

Shmuel — Tue, 03 Jan 2017 10:12:29 GMT

@chrej5am - I'm using SAS UE on linux, so I cannot test your code (can't use X command),

but I'm qurious to know, would next code work too?

or do I need replace single quotes with double quotes and vice versa:

%let file1 = C:\file with spaces.txt;

%let file2 = C:\file with spaces2.txt ;

X %unquote(%str(%'copy "&file1" "&file2" /y%'));

Thanks ahead

Re: Copy file from one directory to another using X command

chrej5am — Tue, 03 Jan 2017 11:56:45 GMT

@Shmuel Yes the code you posted is also valid. No errors given, text file copied.