Concatenate ALL the data sets in a particular reference library

[NKormanik]

Suppose the following:

data concatenation;
   set animal plant;
run;

Given a long list of SAS data sets, I would prefer to use a "data set list".  Apparently in order to do so, the data sets have to begin with the same character.

Example: set library.a: ;

Suppose all data sets have different starting characters.  And I'd rather not rename them all, so as to have a common first character.

Combine (stack, concatenate) ALL the data sets in this particular 'library', please....

Suggestions or thoughts greatly appreciated.

Is there a Proc SQL equivalent that I could use?

Thanks!

Nicholas Kormanik

[Kurt_Bremser]

Use proc sql select into from dictionary.tables:

proc sql noprint;
select memname into : dslist separated by ' '
from dictionary.tables
where libname = "YOURLIB"; /* capitals here! */
quit;

data want;
set &dslist.;
run;

[ErikLund_Jensen · Accepted solution]

Hi @NKormanik 

You can get the dataset names from sashelp.vtable. Get all names within the wanted library in a data step and use the list to create another data step and execute it. Following code is tested and works as expected.

%let inlibref = work;
%let concatds = work.all; 
data _null_; 
	set sashelp.vtable (where=(libname=upcase("&libref"))) end=eod; 
	length str $32000;
	retain str "data &concatds; set";
	str = catx(' ',str,memname);
	if eod then do;
		str = catx(' ',str,'; run;');
		call execute(str);
	end;
run;