Naming an external file

[alepage]

Hello,

My colleagues here use a standardized way to name external files.

Name of the provider of the file, '-', Name of the file. file extension.

Ex: Hydro_One-Billing_Services.xml So Hydro_One is the source Billing_Services is the filename and .xml is the filename extension.

The complete (desired name) is Hydro_One-Billing_Services.xml

I tried to explain to them that SAS do not take a hyphen but they want to keep their way of doing things. Can we rename the file programmatically according to their standard?

[Tom]

I don't think SAS has any trouble using a hyphen in a filename, but it would depend on what operating system your SAS process is running on whether the operating system had any issue with a hyphen in the filename.

In data step code you might do something like:

data want ;
  set have;
  length filename $200 ;
  filename=cats(provider,'-',filetype,'.xml');
run;

In macro code you might do something like:

%let provider=Hydro_One ;
%let filetype=Billing_Services;
%let filename=&provider.-&filetype..xml;

[RW9]

SAS accepts the hyphen.  There is no problem?  It is recommended to not use special characters, spaces and such like in paths or filenames of course.

[Reeza]

A hyphen is only an issue with a SAS data set name and even then, if you need to get around it you can use the VALIDVARNAME option ANY to set it to take a hyphen. But then you have to refer to every variable using the name literal convention:

'name-with hyphen and space'n

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@alepage wrote:

I tried to explain to them that SAS do not take a hyphen but they want to keep their way of doing things. Can we rename the file programmatically according to their standard?

---

[Kurt_Bremser · Accepted solution]

Anything that is supported by the operating system can be used in a physical filename. Hyphens cause problems only where valid SAS names are needed (file references, libnames, datasets, variables).

Keep in mind that physical filenames are just strings to SAS.

Hydro_One-Billing_Services.xml 

is perfectly valid as a filename in UNIX and Windows.

But you'll get problems with a file named

my try on a dumb & improper "filename'? .xml

😉

[alepage]

Hello Kurt,

I thought the name limitation applied to any SAS Code (program) that we would like to execute.

Thank you for the details. Now, it's clearer to me.