topic Re: use macro to change library names in SAS Programming

use macro to change library names

Bal23 — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 20:46:33 GMT

I have a program that includes 20 + sas code files. For each one I need to open the file, change the library names, replace those old library names with my own library names.

Since it is mainly to copy and paste, I would like to get advice from you on how to replace.

For example, the old library names are listed below:

libname ou1 '/c/Data';

libname oud1 '/c/Data/sap';

I need to cross out these two lines and replace them with

libname ou1 '/c/Data/ini';

libname oud1 '/c/Data/ini/sap';

Any advice to do it with sas macro, since I need to copy and paste 20 more times? And how to save it in a library? Or any other way to do it more efficiently? Thanks.

Re: use macro to change library names

Patrick — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 21:17:19 GMT

If that's a once off task and you need to replace exactly the same paths then what I would do is to open all the 20+ .sas files with Notepad++ and use "Replace All in All Opened Documents".

Re: use macro to change library names

Reeza — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 22:33:07 GMT

In that process, remove those from all the libnames from your programs and put them in one master program.

You may as well refactor an inefficient process while you're at it.

Re: use macro to change library names

Bal23 — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 13:19:01 GMT

That is a good idea. I will try.

Re: use macro to change library names

Bal23 — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 13:20:09 GMT

That is what I am thinking but I do not know how to write the code.. Can you provide code? Thanks.

Re: use macro to change library names

Reeza — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 13:35:12 GMT

It's unclear who you're responding to but it literally means moving the library statements from their programs to a single program.

You need to determine if that would streamline your issues and if this would make things easier.

If you're doing rsubmits (server) work then it may not be possible.

Re: use macro to change library names

Bal23 — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 14:03:01 GMT

Sorry if I had not made it clear. I was replying to your post. Would you please share you code? I believe it would be easier.Thanks

Re: use macro to change library names

Patrick — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 22:23:36 GMT

@Bal23

There are multiple ways of doing what @Reeza proposes but it all boils down to not have fully qualified paths in your source code so you don't run into the issue you're having right now.

One approach you could take:

1. Have a macro variable with the root path somewhere centrally defined (i.e. autoexec or startup code in EG or first %include of an "init.sas" when you run your programs)

%let dataRoot=/c/Data;

2. Use this macro variable as part of your paths in any subsequent code

libname ou1 "&dataRoot";
libname oud1 "&dataRoot/sap";

So now if the root path changes you only need to change it in a single place.

/c/data doesn't sound like but if you work in a commercial environment then issue a %put _all_; statement. There is a chance that some SAS Admin already created and maintains such a global macro variable.

IF this is in a commercial environment and they had to change the data folder path which will affect a lot of users then I'd also ask the question if it wouldn't be possible to implement a symbolic link with the old pathname so no code changes are required.

And last but not least:

For libnames which get used in many programs and/or by multiple users SAS best practice is to define these in SAS Metadata.

Re: use macro to change library names

Bal23 — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 18:33:01 GMT

Thank you. Before I do this, my understanding is, I should either cross out the original paths or replace with blank, as you suggest on your first post. Do I understand correctly?

Re: use macro to change library names

Bal23 — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 18:36:12 GMT

Or, can I create another two macros, to replace these two statments wtih blank so that I need not open each one, cross out, or delete?