topic Re: Create dataset with today's date in the name in SAS Procedures

Create dataset with today's date in the name

gsnidow — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 18:50:27 GMT

Greetings all. I'm trying to create an empty dataset with today's date, in date9 format at the beginning of the name, but I can't figure out how to do it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

%Let today = %sysfunc(date(),date9.);

data otbr."&today_otbr";

length DT_BILL $10.;

length CD_CYCLE BILL_COUNT 8.;

length AT_BILL 8.2.;

run;

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

WARNING: Apparent symbolic reference TODAY_OTBR not resolved.
7984 data otbr."&today_otbr";
           -----
           22
           201
ERROR 22-322: Syntax error, expecting one of the following: a name, a quoted string, /, ;,
              _DATA_, _LAST_, _NULL_.

ERROR 201-322: The option is not recognized and will be ignored.

7985      length DT_BILL $10.;
7986      length CD_CYCLE BILL_COUNT 8.;
7987      length AT_BILL 8.2.;
                         ---
                         352
                            -
                            22
                            200
ERROR 352-185: The length of numeric variables is 3-8.

ERROR 22-322: Syntax error, expecting one of the following: a name, ;, DEFAULT, _ALL_,
_CHARACTER_, _CHAR_, _NUMERIC_.

ERROR 200-322: The symbol is not recognized and will be ignored.

7988 run;

ERROR: The value &TODAY_OTBR is not a valid SAS name.
NOTE: The SAS System stopped processing this step because of errors.
NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):
real time 0.01 seconds
cpu time 0.01 seconds

Re: Create dataset with today's date in the name

Haikuo — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 19:12:14 GMT

From what I can see,

1, you are missing a '.', Try adding it on:

2. Length statement can only take 3-8, not 8.2, that is for format, change that. Also, for numeric variables, the default length is 8, so you can skip all of your length statement.

%Let today = %sysfunc(date(),date9.);

data otbr._&today._otbr;

length DT_BILL $10.;

run;

Haikuo

Update:

3. You can NOT name your table starting with a number. Add something like '_' in front of it.

4. Using quote in data statement will causing error, it is completely unnecessary.

Re: Create dataset with today's date in the name

Linlin — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 19:13:28 GMT

I don't think is a good idea to use "today" as a macro variable.

%Let dsn = %sysfunc(date(),date9.);

data otbr._&dsn._otbr;

Re: Create dataset with today's date in the name

Linlin — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 19:16:30 GMT

Haikuo,

Why did you use "" in "&today._otbr"?

Re: Create dataset with today's date in the name

Haikuo — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 19:19:36 GMT

Right, I overlook that part. Quote is completely unnecessary. Will update my initial response.

Haikuo

Re: Create dataset with today's date in the name

Astounding — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 19:27:27 GMT

On a side note, I would suggest you switch from DATE9 to YYMMDDN8. If you are creating a series of data sets, consider what the names will look like. If you use YYMMDDN8 then the alphabetical order will match the order by creation date.

Re: Create dataset with today's date in the name

gsnidow — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 19:47:41 GMT

I'm getting closer.

%Let today = %sysfunc(date(),date9.);

data otbr.&today._OTBR;

length DT_BILL $10.;

length CD_CYCLE BILL_COUNT AT_BILL 8.;

run;

This creates the table, but it is creating it in the work library, not otbr. Also, the name is not how I think the macro variable is resolving. In the log I see these lines...

8233 %Let today = %sysfunc(date(),date9.);

8234 data otbr.&today._OTBR;

NOTE: Line generated by the macro variable "TODAY".

1 otbr.12SEP2012_OTBR

That makes me think the dataset to be created will be named 12SEP2012_OTBR, and it will be created in the otbr library. However, when the table is actually created, it is named Sep2012_otbr, and it is in the work library. Any ideas?

Greg

Re: Create dataset with today's date in the name

gsnidow — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 19:54:53 GMT

In fact, I don't even need the variable. This does the *exact* same thing...

data otbr.%sysfunc(date(),date9.)_otbr;

length DT_BILL $10.;

length CD_CYCLE BILL_COUNT AT_BILL 8.;

run;

Still putting it in my work library for some reason.

Re: Create dataset with today's date in the name

Linlin — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 19:57:20 GMT

dataset name can't starting with number.

Re: Create dataset with today's date in the name

gsnidow — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 20:00:32 GMT

DOH!!! I should have know that, since the same is true for SQL Server. Thank you so much for that.