Exporting a Dataset to Datalines

[DavidPhillips2]

Is there a good article on how to export a SAS dataset you have in a stored process to a datalines statement.  I want to take a dataset I have in a stored process and share it in a forum post.

[Reeza]

Why yes there is 😀 

http://blogs.sas.com/content/sastraining/2016/03/11/jedi-sas-tricks-data-to-data-step-macro/

Also, if you're on EG there's a custom task that can be used - see Chris Hemedingers blog. 

[DavidPhillips2]

Which post is it in his blog?

General blog link:

http://blogs.sas.com/content/sasdummy/author/chrishemedinger/page/4/

[Reeza · Accepted solution]

Here's a list to 11 of his custom task

http://blogs.sas.com/content/sasdummy/2013/11/25/11-custom-tasks/

And specifically EG custom task - Data to Data Step

http://blogs.sas.com/content/sasdummy/2013/01/21/turn-your-data-set-into-a-data-step-program/

[DavidPhillips2]

Reeza,

When I tried to run the macro in the blog http://blogs.sas.com/content/sastraining/2016/03/11/jedi-sas-tricks-data-to-data-step-macro/ I was unable to get it to work. How do you use this Marco?  I copied it to Enterprise Guide and tried passing parameters.

[Reeza]

I wrote a post about how to do it using SAS UE

https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Communities-Library/How-to-create-a-data-step-version-of-your-dat...

I'm assuming you have a dataset somewhere that you'd like to create the dataset for?

You would open the data2datastep.sas macro and run that.

Then call the macro, The third parameter is the name and path of the file that gets created. You'll have to specify that for your system. 

Something like the following I imagine:

%data2datastep(cars,sashelp,C:\temp\out.sas,5)

It probably depends a bit on your set up, if you're on a server for instance it might be different. 

[DavidPhillips2]

I've got a server setup:

ERROR: Insufficient authorization to access /sasconfig/Lev1/SASApp/C:\temp\out.sas.

[Reeza]

Yeah, unfortunately you'll need a place to be able to create the file on the server. What happens if you leave the third parameter blank?

I'll take a look at the macro later and see if there's a way to output it to a dataset or log that could then be copied to avoid this issue. 

I've only perused the code so far, so not sure if that's even possible.

I assume you weren't able to install the add in?

[DavidPhillips2]

I found a location to save the output to that works for me.

Is the add on safe?  It looks like an install file from an unknown vendor.

I’m trying to modify the code to allow me to output an active dataset so that I can narrow down the dataset before outputting it.  But understanding the code is tricky.  

If I could replace this section:

from dictionary.columns
where libname="&lib"
and memname="&dsn"

with something like:

from work.mytable

[Reeza]

What do you mean by narrow down the dataset?

Wouldn't you subset the table and then pass that to the macro?

data sub;

set have;

where <limit>;

run;

%data2datastep(sub, work, ,20);

The part of the code you're currently viewing would provide the column names and data types. I'm not sure that referencing your table would make sense. 

The add on is safe, it's published by SAS, @ChrisHemedinger

I found that I needed IT Admin rights to unlock it though.

[DavidPhillips2]

Reeza, 

That works.  I wasn't sure how to reference the work library like that. 

Thanks for your help on this.

[DavidPhillips2]

I put 10000 in for obs but my output is cut off at about 2000 rows.  My dataset only has 4 columns so its not huge.

[Reeza]

There's no limit in the code that I can see that would restrict it to 2000 records...when you run the code, it only creates 2000 observations?

[DavidPhillips2]

It creates 2321 records and cuts off on the last record.  I think it is some sort of length issue. 

I'm looking at how to install the plugin.

[Reeza]

This works for me. Does it truncate for you as well?

data random;
do i=1 to 10000;
x=1;
y=x*2;
z=rand('normal', 25, 5);
w=floor(y*z);
output;
end;
run;


%data2datastep(random,work,C:\_localdata\out.sas,10000)