Importing multi Excel files

[Ksharp]

Jaap has already given you answer:

call symputx('file'||put(_n_,8. -L ),filenames,'G');

[jakarman]

saskiwi already made the remark you will get a problem at the 10-th value.

The issue is putting a numeric will add blanks or zero-s to get postions filled. An REXX stem or SAS macro array is based on numbers not being adjusted.
Correct the adjustment to follow sas-macro conventions. I think 10.000 files as limit will do (4 positions).

call symputx('file'||put(_n_,1.),filenames,'G');

                        TRIM(LEFT(PUT(_n_,4.))

[JakeElwood]

The original code cannot import any .xls files and gives me the following error. All filenames are .xls with only letters, digits, and underscores:

316
317 data _null_;
318 set file;
319 call symputx('file'||put(_n_,1.),filenames,'G');
320 run;

ERROR: Symbolic variable name FILE* must contain only letters, digits, and underscores.
NOTE: Argument 1 to function SYMPUTX at line 319 column 6 is invalid.
filenames=M:\LS\Data\BannerMerge\FilesGrade350_201 _ERROR_=1 _N_=10
ERROR: Symbolic variable name FILE* must contain only letters, digits, and underscores.
NOTE: Argument 1 to function SYMPUTX at line 319 column 6 is invalid.