Proc contents 'Len'

[SASAna]

 how to read 'len' from PROC CONTENTS ? I have 368 attributes with diff legth and formats . 

I tried  doing PROC CONTENTS  and SQL to get the lengths in col_widths.

proc contents data = output_xlsd out =output_contents; run;

Proc SQL noprint;
Select len into: col_widths separated by "," From output_contents; Quit;

I am getting error as 'len; not found as it is not present in the output_contents dataset. How to get the lengths of all attributes with simple logic?

Thanks,

Deepa

[FreelanceReinh]

The relevant variable name in output_contents is LENGTH, not LEN.

[JediApprentice]

So, are you trying to get the lengths assigned to a new variable (col_widths)? 

[Astounding]

You already did, without needing SQL.  Take a look at the output data set from PROC CONTENTS.  For example, you could try:

proc print data=output_contents;

var name length;

run;

You have the information, you just have to figure out how to use it.

[SASAna]

Thanks all

[RW9]

It would be interesting to know the Why of this.  I mean theoretcially you could put all the lengths into macro variables and go that way, but as the SAS metadata can be accessed like a dataset it seems a bit of a faff.  Say for instance you want to standardise the length of all character variables to 200 and numerics to 8:

data _null_;
 set sashelp.vcolumn (where=(libname="SASHELP" and memname="CLASS")) end=last;
 if _n_=1 then call execute('data want; length');
 call execute(cat(' ',strip(name),ifc(type="char",' $200',' 8')));
 if last then call execute('; set sashelp.class; run;');
run;