Read a filename dynamically

[Crt]

Hi everyone!
I am trying to read the latest file from a folder.

Requirements:
1) The folder stores files as:
log_26112021 123456.log

2) The file format is the name_date numbers. There is a space between the date and the numbers.

What I have done so far is:
filename log "&path.\log_%sysfunc(today(), ddmmyyN8.).log";

What I want to do is to read the rest of the file name, whatever it is including the space and the numbers. Any suggestions?

Thank you in advance!

[Reeza]

• Mismatched quotes
• * is the wildcard character
• I'm unsure of the behaviour of this code if it resolves to multiple files

filename log "&path.\log_%sysfunc(today(), ddmmyyN8.) *.log";

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@Crt wrote:
Hi everyone!
I am trying to read the latest file from a folder.

Requirements:
1) The folder stores files as:
log_26112021 123456.log

2) The file format is the name_date numbers. There is a space between the date and the numbers.

What I have done so far is:
filename log "&path.\log_%sysfunc(today(), ddmmyyN8.).log';

What I want to do is to read the rest of the file name, whatever it is including the space and the numbers. Any suggestions?

Thank you in advance!

---

[Crt]

Thank you for your response.

I have tried the * character, but it seems not to work.

[Reeza]

What do you mean 'it seems not to work'.
What are you expecting to happen and what happens?
How are you using the filename and how does it not work?
Code and log helps.

[Tom · Accepted solution]

You can use a wildcard in the filename.

You could just try to read ALL of the files that match the pattern.  You can use the FILENAME= option on the INFILE statement to find the name of the file you are reading.

data logs;
  length fname filename $200;
  infile "&path./log_%sysfunc(today(), ddmmyyN8.)*.log" filename=fname ;
  input;
  filename=fname;
  lineno+1;
  if filename ne lag(filename) then lineno=1;
  line=_infile_;
run;