dictionary.extfiles column exists

Ron_MacroMaven — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 21:20:17 GMT

I am sure I know enough sql to be dangerous.

Can anyone offer an explanation as to why I cannot reorder the variables in the the sql dictionary.extfiles?

PROC sql; describe table dictionary.extfiles;

select * from dictionary.extfiles;

select fileref,directory,temporary,xpath

from dictionary.extfiles

order by fileref;

****** fails;

select fileref,directory,exists,temporary,xpath

from dictionary.extfiles;

quit;

A quick perusal of the OnLineDoc finds there is a function named exists in the GTL: Graph Template Language.q

OpSys: Win XP 32

SAS v9.3

Re: dictionary.extfiles column exists

ballardw — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 21:35:39 GMT

Yep, the reason is it is expecting exists to be used as a function.

A work around is use of a table alias:

proc sql;

select fileref,directory, a.exists, temporary, xpath

from dictionary.extfiles as a;

quit;

SQL function Exists tests if a subquery returns one or more rows. So without the table identifier it expects EXISTS to be used as a function.

Probably wasn't the best idea to name a column in the dictionary table with that name.