Create dataset from dataset that doesn't have conventional names ("-" hyphen symbol in Name)

[SASuserlot]

I thought we cannot use the "-"( hyphen) in  the dataset name. We got this kind of name for a dataset from a vendor.  I try to do some analysis to using the set statement. But I am not sure  how to do it, my SET statements not working because of the symbol, is there a way I can create  copy of this data into sas session to work on it. I am not really sure How they able to create the SAS dataset.( is there a way?). The following how the name looks like. Thank you.

libname account 'c:\temp\act';
data expenses;
   set account. ny_2022-dec_accounts;*dataset name in library "-" after the 2022;
run;

[SASKiwi]

Try this:

libname account 'c:\temp\act';
data expenses;
   set account.'ny_2022-dec_accounts'n;*dataset name in library "-" after the 2022;
run;

The dataset may have been created the same way I've suggested reading it.

[SASuserlot]

@SASKiwi  Thank you. Unfortunately no luck I am getting 'Invalid data set name error'

[SASKiwi]

OK, try this then - it should allow the hyphen.

options VALIDMEMNAME = EXTEND;
libname account 'c:\temp\act';
data expenses;
   set account.'ny_2022-dec_accounts'n;*dataset name in library "-" after the 2022;
run;

[SASuserlot]

 Didn't worked . Still same issue 'Invalid data set name'. And I got the following note but it did not allowing me. I am using SAS 9.4 windows .

[SASKiwi]

Can you please post your complete SAS log including your code and any notes and errors. Please do it as a copy and paste NOT a screenshot.

[SASuserlot]

1    options VALIDMEMNAME=EXTEND ;
NOTE: Windowing environment support for VALIDMEMNAME=EXTEND is limited to Editor, Log, and Output windows.
2    *create library;
3
4    libname account 'c:\document\ny';
NOTE: Libref ACCOUNT was successfully assigned as follows:
      Engine:        V9
      Physical Name: c:\document\ny
5
6    * data set creation;
7
8    data expenses;
9       set account.'ny_2022-dec_accounts'n;*dataset name in library "-" after the 2022;
           -------------------------------
            211
ERROR 211-185: Invalid data set name.

10   run;

NOTE: The SAS System stopped processing this step because of errors.
WARNING: The data set WORK.EXPENSES may be incomplete.  When this step was stopped there were 0 observations
         and 0 variables.
NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):
      real time           0.01 seconds
      cpu time            0.01 seconds 

 Here is my log. sorry for the inconvenience. I tried with out using " 'n " and single quotations too. but no luck. Thank you for your time.

[Kurt_Bremser]

Rename the .sas7bdat file on the OS level.

[SASuserlot]

Thanks, @Kurt_Bremser .  can you please provide me with an example? ( I don't want to change the original file name). By any chance your referring 'RENAME'  like this?

Source: https://documentation.sas.com/doc/en/sclref/9.4/p0mgkyalwbgx2cn18e8z05b90s5v.htm#n1gufiu0rf7qv2n1v05...

[Kurt_Bremser]

No. OS means Operating System.

Since you work on Windows, you would either use the Windows Explorer or the ren command in a cmd window.

Or, if the XCMD system option is enabled in SAS, you could use the ren command in an X statement or an INFILE PIPE.

data _null_;
infile pipe "ren c:\temp\act\ny_2022-dec_accounts.sas7bdat c:\temp\act\ny_2022_dec_accounts.sas7bdat 2>&1";
input;
put _infile_;
run;

[SASuserlot]

I tried using your code. Unfortunately it didn't work  . Can you please correct me, if I am doing anything wrong ( Note: I didn't want to change the original file name, I just want to read into SAS so that I can do analysis). Thank you

1
2    options noxwait ;
3    data _null_;
4    infile pipe "ren
4  ! c:\document\ny\ny_2022-dec_accounts.sas7bdat
4  ! c:\document\ny\ny_2022_dec_accounts.sas7bdat 2>&1";
      --------------------------------------------------
      23

ERROR 23-2: Invalid option name "ren
             c:\document\ny\ny_2022-dec_accounts.sas7bdat
             c:\document\ny\ny_2022_dec_accounts.sas7bdat
             2>&1".

5    input;
6    put _infile_;
7    run;

NOTE: The SAS System stopped processing this step because of errors.
WARNING: The data set WORK.XX may be incomplete.  When this step was stopped there were 0 observations and 0
         variables.
NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):
      real time           0.06 seconds
      cpu time            0.00 seconds

[Kurt_Bremser]

Change the order of the INFILE statement:

infile "ren c:\temp\act\ny_2022-dec_accounts.sas7bdat c:\temp\act\ny_2022_dec_accounts.sas7bdat 2>&1" pipe;

[Reeza]

Does the name have a space at the front? 

Rules for EXTEND Are

• can be up to 32 bytes in length.
• can contain special characters except for / \ * ? " < > | : -. A name that contains special characters must be specified as a name literal.
• cannot begin with a blank or a period.
• ignores leading and trailing blanks.
• can contain mixed-case letters. SAS internally converts the member name to uppercase. Therefore, you cannot use the same member name with a different combination of uppercase and lowercase letters to represent different variables. For example, cat, Cat, and CAT all represent the same member name. (footnote 1)

That being said, I get an error every time I try to create a data set with that name so it's invalid. You will have to rename it, I suggest copying it first and then renaming it.

 69         libname account '/home/fkhurshed/Demo1/';
 NOTE: Libref ACCOUNT was successfully assigned as follows: 
       Engine:        V9 
       Physical Name: /home/fkhurshed/Demo1
 70         
 71         data account.'ny_2022-dec_accounts'n;
 72         set sashelp.class;
 73         run;
 
 ERROR: The value 'NY_2022-DEC_ACCOUNTS'n is not a valid SAS member name.
 NOTE: The SAS System stopped processing this step because of errors.
 NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time):
       real time           0.00 seconds
       user cpu time       0.01 seconds
       system cpu time     0.00 seconds
       memory              474.09k
       OS Memory           24224.00k
       Timestamp           11/23/2022 03:52:19 PM
       Step Count                        48  Switch Count  0
       Page Faults                       0
       Page Reclaims                     70
       Page Swaps                        0
       Voluntary Context Switches        0
       Involuntary Context Switches      0
       Block Input Operations            0
       Block Output Operations           8
       

 If you're concerned about traceability in the code, you can use FCOPY to copy/rename the file.

options msglevel=i;

filename src '/home/fkhurshed/Demo1/ny_2022-dec_accounts.sas7bdat' recfm=n;
filename dest '/home/fkhurshed/Demo1/ny_dec2022_accounts.sas7bdat' recfm=n;

data _null_;
   length msg $ 384;
   rc=fcopy('src', 'dest');
   if rc=0 then
      put 'Copied SRC to DEST.';
   else do;
      msg=sysmsg();
      put rc= msg=;
   end;
run;

data expenses;
   set account.ny_dec2022_accounts;
run;

[SASuserlot]

Thanks @Reeza . I don't have any blank spaces in the name.  If I don't have any option, your solution is the option and inform my upper level. Since they don't  give me the access to copy/ rename or do any thing  in the folder access.  I thought we can not use any fancy character in name. At least  from this post I learned about EXTEND option.

[Reeza · Accepted solution]

Copy to work library then.

options msglevel=i;

filename src 'c:\document\ny\ny_2022-dec_accounts.sas7bdat' recfm=n;
filename dest "%sysfunc(pathname(work))/ny_dec2022_accounts.sas7bdat" recfm=n;

data _null_;
   length msg $ 384;
   rc=fcopy('src', 'dest');
   if rc=0 then
      put 'Copied SRC to DEST.';
   else do;
      msg=sysmsg();
      put rc= msg=;
   end;
run;

data expenses;
   set ny_dec2022_accounts;
run;