topic Populate dataset with member names in SAS Procedures

Populate dataset with member names

gsnidow — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:36:52 GMT

Greetings all. I am needing to create a dataset with only the # and name values from the output of proc datasets. I've found lots of documents about proc contents and proc datasets, but I can't find specifically what I'm needing to do. If I run this...

proc datasets lib=OTBR;quit;run;

I see this in the log...

Member File
# Name Type Size Last Modified

                    1 ONTIMESUM0 DATA     5120 12Sep12:09:42:07
                    2 ONTIMESUM1 DATA     5120 12Sep12:09:42:14
                    3 ONTIMESUM2 DATA     5120 12Sep12:09:42:20
                    4 ONTIMESUM3 DATA     5120 12Sep12:09:42:26
                    5 ONTIMESUM4 DATA     5120 12Sep12:09:42:34

What I need to do is capture the first two columns only from this output into a dataset in the same library. I'm not sure if I should use proc contents or proc datasets. Does anyone have any ideas? Thank you.

Greg

Re: Populate dataset with member names

Linlin — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:40:43 GMT

Greg,

example:

proc contents data=sashelp.class out=want (keep=varnum name) noprint;

run;

proc print data=want;run;

Sorry. I misundstood your question. I thought you wanted the variable names in a dataset.

Re: Populate dataset with member names

MikeZdeb — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:05:04 GMT

hi ... I think that you want names of data sets and views (not variables within a data set), so you could try ...

proc sql;

create table datasets as

select memname as NAME, memtype as TYPE from dictionary.tables where libname eq 'SASHELP';

quit;

just use a libref on the new data set to put it in the correct location ("...output into a dataset in the same library...")

Re: Populate dataset with member names

Haikuo — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:07:28 GMT

Hi,

There are many ways to obtain metadata information. Like Linlin suggested, proc contents being one. You can also directly retrieve info from dictionary tables/views. One example is (using Linlin's example):

proc sql;

create table want as

select varnum,name from dictionary.columns where lIBNAME='SASHELP' AND MEMNAME='CLASS';QUIT;

Haikuo

Re: Populate dataset with member names

gsnidow — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:11:46 GMT

Thank you all for the tips. I did not think of using proc sql to hit the system tables directly. As SQL is my native language, that option is easiest for me. Thanks again.

Greg