topic Read In Using Loop in SAS Procedures

Read In Using Loop

raivester — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 14:17:03 GMT

I am wondering if there is a more efficient way to append a bunch of data sets during read in. Fortunately, all the data sets I am working with follow the same naming convention and only differ in a single number that increments each year. I have been doing the below, but since is this something I will simply have to add to each year, am wondering if there is a way to use a macro (indicating the most recent year) and a loop to make this more efficient.

data app_data;
	  set 	ds2015
			ds2016
			ds2017
			ds2018
			ds2019
			ds2020;

        *Other stuff happens;
run;

Re: Read In Using Loop

Tom — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 14:37:18 GMT

Since your datasets are using nice sequential numeric suffixes you can use a dataset list.

data app_data;
  set ds2015-ds2020;
run;

Re: Read In Using Loop

PhilC — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 15:28:20 GMT

Depending on your situation, this maybe useful. A colon is used as a wildcard for datasets.

data app_data;
  set ds: ;
run;

This will select ALL datasets in WORK with the "ds" prefix, mind you.

Re: Read In Using Loop

Cynthia_sas — Sun, 28 Mar 2021 12:31:25 GMT

Hi:
If "other stuff happens then the DATA step is the best way to append. If all you needed to do was the append and none of the other stuff, then you could use PROC APPEND.
Cynthia