Delete file in libname - Macro

[a_ramos]

I need to delete a file in libname if it exists.

It's not right...

%IF %SYSFUNC(TODAY(),DAY.) EQ 1 %THEN %DO;
%IF %SYSFUNC(FILEEXIST(DRM.TRANSF_PARTIAL_&MES.)) %THEN %DO;

%SYSFUNC(FDELETE(DRM.TRANSF_PARTIAL_&MES.));
%END;
%LET FILE=TRANSF_CLOSURE_&MES.;
%END;

[ballardw]

Are you attempting to delete a SAS date set or an external non-SAS file? FILEEXIST function checks for the existence of external files, not SAS data sets. You would use EXIST function to determine if a SAS data set or view is present.

FDELETE is intended to delete external files and the reference would be "is a character constant, variable, or expression that specifies the fileref that you assign to the external file or directory. " not a libname.dataset construct. You would have to generate an operating system path/filename instead of the library.dataset reference for Fdelete to work.

[a_ramos]

Yes, it is external.

Please, how can I put FILEREF in the macro?

Is there a way to delete this file just by pointing to libname?

[Tom · Accepted solution]

If you want to delete a dataset then why not just use PROC DELETE?

%if %sysfunc(today(),day.) eq 1 %then %do;
  %let file=TRANSF_CLOSURE_&MES.;
  %if %sysfunc(exist(drm.&file)) %then %do;
proc delete data=drm.&file ;
run;
  %end;
%end;

[a_ramos]

It worked perfectly when I simulated day 1, thank you.
I was confusing the EXIST functions with FILEEXIST and FDELETE with PROC DELETE. Thanks

%IF %SYSFUNC(TODAY(),DAY.) EQ 1 %THEN %DO;
%IF %SYSFUNC(EXIST(DRM.TRANSF_PARTIAL_&MES.)) %THEN %DO;
PROC DELETE DATA=DRM.TRANSF_PARTIAL_&MES.;
%END;
%LET FILE=TRANSF_CLOSURE_&MES.;
%END;

%ELSE %DO;
%LET FILE=TRANSF_PARTIAL_&MES.;
%END;

[Reeza]

---

@a_ramos wrote:

I need to delete a file in libname if it exists.

It's not right...

%IF %SYSFUNC(TODAY(),DAY.) EQ 1 %THEN %DO;
%IF %SYSFUNC(FILEEXIST(DRM.TRANSF_PARTIAL_&MES.)) %THEN %DO;

%SYSFUNC(FDELETE(DRM.TRANSF_PARTIAL_&MES.));
%END;
%LET FILE=TRANSF_CLOSURE_&MES.;
%END;

---

How is it not right? Are you getting an error? Is it not working? I'm assuming this is wrapped in a MACRO?

Your condition will never be true until the first day of the month so you'll need to change that to test it for sure. 

[a_ramos]

I was confusing the EXIST functions with FILEEXIST and FDELETE with PROC DELETE.
Tom helped me.
Thanks