How do I Executing DOS Commands in BASE SAS

[VDD]

Hello can someone assist me>

using the code below I am trying to do a file compare of 2 SAS programs to review the changes.

My issue is that the output file is not created.  But when I run the FC command line from DOS it works.

How would I write this to make it work in BASE SAS.

data _null_;

do;

x fc "R:\Programs_files.sas T:\Programs_files.sas > R:\changes.txt";

end;

run;

[Astounding]

First, note that X is a SAS statement, but not a DATA step statement.  If you had a working X command, you could issue just the one line program:

x fc "R:\Programs_files.sas T:\Programs_files.sas > R:\changes.txt";

However, the X command requires that its argument be in quotes.  In this case, you could simply add the quotes:

x 'fc "R:\Programs_files.sas T:\Programs_files.sas > R:\changes.txt"';

Another possibility here would be to switch from X to %SYSEXEC, which performs similar functions but does not requires quotes::

%sysexec fc "R:\Programs_files.sas T:\Programs_files.sas > R:\changes.txt";

[VDD]

I have tried both solutions but nether of them create a text output file.

[Astounding]

I'm not too familiar with DOS commands, but this syntax strikes me as strange:

%sysexec fc "R:\Programs_files.sas T:\Programs_files.sas > R:\changes.txt";

Shouldn't it look more like this (or some other similar variation such as no quotes at all)?

%sysexec fc "R:\Programs_files.sas T:\Programs_files.sas" > "R:\changes.txt";

[VDD]

the extra set of quotes doesn't resolve and create an output text file.

[Reeza]

Post the exact code you submitted from @Astounding solution. 

[Reeza]

And check if you have XCMD enabled. 

Proc options option =xcmd; run; 

If you don’t have xcmd enabled you can’t execute system commands. 

[VDD]

these are the code I have used after the replies for help

Proc options option =xcmd; run;

data _null_;

do;

x 'fc /n"R:\Programs_DRA2009\download\get_tanf_files.sas T:\Programs_DRA2009\download\get_tanf_files.sas > R:\vdd_changes.txt"';

end;

run;

　

　

%sysexec fc "R:\Programs_DRA2009\download\get_tanf_files.sas T:\Programs_DRA2009\download\get_tanf_files.sas > R:\vdd_changes.tx";

[VDD]

when I run the type the code on a DOS command line it works

and I get a file that contains this information.  I would like to run

fc R:\Programs_DRA2009\download\get_tanf_files.sas T:\Programs_DRA2009\download\get_tanf_files.sas > R:\vdd_changes.txt from a SAS session and use a macro for the filenames.

Comparing files R:\PROGRAMS_DRA2009\DOWNLOAD\get_tanf_files.sas and T:\PROGRAMS_DRA2009\DOWNLOAD\GET_TANF_FILES.SAS
***** R:\PROGRAMS_DRA2009\DOWNLOAD\get_tanf_files.sas
   81:  *
   82:  ***************************************************;
***** T:\PROGRAMS_DRA2009\DOWNLOAD\GET_TANF_FILES.SAS
   81:  *
   82:  *              01/12/2018 changed the filepath from \\dshsapoly80801\tanf_report
   83:  *                         to \\dshs\rda\tanf2018 in the libname statement and
   84:  *                         the renaming process. (M. Harris)
   85:  *                         
   86:  ***************************************************;
*****

[VDD]

I have also used this

　

　

%sysexec 'fc "R:\Programs_DRA2009\download\get_tanf_files.sas T:\Programs_DRA2009\download\get_tanf_files.sas > R:\vdd_changes.txt"';

and this

　

　

%sysexec 'fc "R:\Programs_DRA2009\download\get_tanf_files.sas T:\Programs_DRA2009\download\get_tanf_files.sas" > "R:\vdd_changes.txt"';

[Kurt_Bremser · Accepted solution]

To see if a command executed on the OS works, do this:

filename oscmd pipe 'fc /n R:\Programs_DRA2009\download\get_tanf_files.sas T:\Programs_DRA2009\download\get_tanf_files.sas 2>&1';

data _null_;
infile oscmd;
input;
put _infile_;
run;

This will catch all output (stdout and stderr) and write it to the SAS log.

[Reeza]

Output from PROC OPTIONS? I suspect XCMD is enabled to allow you to run these types of commands. 

EG has this turned off by default. 

[VDD]

Can you assist in telling me how to get EG to turn it on, or is there an option to turn it on in EG.

I use Base SAS

[Cynthia_sas]

Hi:
I think that only your SAS Administrator can enable X commands for you. This is typically something that the Admin controls.

cynthia