Use loop variable to create data set

model_coder — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:33:40 GMT

Is it possible to use loop counter to create SAS dataset? For example, in the code below I want to create SAS datasets called test_1, test_2, and test_3.

proc iml;

A = {0};

do i = 1 to 3;
A = A || i;
print A;
create test_&i from A;
append from A;
end;

quit;

Re: Use loop variable to create data set

Rick_SAS — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:49:46 GMT

The question is: can you define the name of a SAS data set at runtime?
I think it will be difficult to use a macro to do this because the names of the data sets aren't known until runtime, whereas the macro language is a preprocessor that substitutes code before the proc is run.

Defining the name of a SAS data set at runtime is simple in SAS/IML Studio, since you can use expressions for I/O statements such as the CREATE statement:

/* The following example runs in SAS/IML Studio, but not PROC IML */
A = {0};
do i = 1 to 3;
A = A || i;
DSName = "test_" + strip(char(i));
create (DSName) from A;
append from A;
close (DSName);
end;

In PROC IML, you can to use the EXECUTE statement to define the name of the data set at run time:
/* Similar idea; runs in PROC IML */
proc iml;

start WriteMatrix(a, DSName);
CreateStmt = "create " + DSName + " from A;";
CloseStmt = "close " + DSName + ";";
call execute(CreateStmt);
append from A;
call execute(CloseStmt);
finish;

A = {0};
do i = 1 to 3;
A = A || i;
DSName = "test_" + strip(char(i));
run WriteMatrix(A, DSName);
end;

topic Use loop variable to create data set in SAS/IML Software and Matrix Computations

Use loop variable to create data set

Re: Use loop variable to create data set