topic Re: Max length problem invoked by filevar and fileref in SAS Programming

Max length problem invoked by filevar and fileref

xiaoys0725 — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 20:32:26 GMT

Hello,

I am practicing filevar= option. I tried to mock the code in the advanced certification preparation book and the code is as below:

data work.sample;
do number=0,1,2;
nextfile="C:/CT/try/data/sample"!!compress(put(number,2.)!!".txt",'');
infile temp filevar=nextfile end=lastobs;
input ID one $ two $ three $;
output;
end;
stop;
run;

It works well.

Then I am thinking about what will happen if I replace the temp by a fileref, so the code becomes:

filename xyz 'C:/CT/try/data/sample0.txt';
data work.sample3;
do number=1,2;
nextfile="C:/CT/try/data/sample"!!compress(put(number,2.)!!".txt",'');
infile xyz filevar=nextfile end=lastobs;
input ID one $ two $ three $;
output;
end;
stop;
run;

and then I got the following log:

The infile XYZ is:
Filename=C:\CT\try\data\sample1.txt,
RECFM=V,LRECL=32767,File Size (bytes)=706,
Last Modified=15Sep2017:15:13:54,
Create Time=15Sep2017:15:13:54

NOTE: The infile XYZ is:
Filename=C:\CT\try\data\sample2.txt,
RECFM=V,LRECL=32767,File Size (bytes)=220,
Last Modified=15Sep2017:15:14:20,
Create Time=15Sep2017:15:14:20

NOTE: 1 record was read from the infile XYZ.
The minimum record length was 30.
The maximum record length was 30.
NOTE: 1 record was read from the infile XYZ.
The minimum record length was 30.
The maximum record length was 30.
NOTE: The data set WORK.SAMPLE3 has 2 observations and 5 variables.
NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):
real time 0.07 seconds
cpu time 0.04 seconds

So why does this happen? Is it OK to use a fileref to replace the temp usually?

Thank you!

Re: Max length problem invoked by filevar and fileref

Kurt_Bremser — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 20:37:23 GMT

The file reference in an infile statement with filevar= is just a placeholder.

Re: Max length problem invoked by filevar and fileref

PGStats — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 20:37:59 GMT

When used with filevar, the fileref is just a placeholder, It is ignored.

Re: Max length problem invoked by filevar and fileref

Kurt_Bremser — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 20:39:08 GMT

PS I see no problem in your log.

Re: Max length problem invoked by filevar and fileref

xiaoys0725 — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 20:40:23 GMT

Thank you! Can I use any placeholder though? I replaced by something casually but I still have the length limit

Re: Max length problem invoked by filevar and fileref

xiaoys0725 — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 20:41:35 GMT

But there is a maxim record length so I cannot have the same output as the first one.

And can I use any placeholder? I replaced it by something casually but I still have the length limit

Re: Max length problem invoked by filevar and fileref

PGStats — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 20:44:26 GMT

Log lines like

NOTE: 1 record was read from the infile XYZ.
The minimum record length was 30.
The maximum record length was 30.

is just information about your file. It doesn't signal any problem. Unless, of course, your file has records that aren't 30 characters long.

Re: Max length problem invoked by filevar and fileref

xiaoys0725 — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 20:46:07 GMT

Ohhhh Ok, thank you!!