SAS Export

[mk131190]

Hello,

I use enterprise guide (for coding not point and click) and I was looking to export a large dataset into a CSV file. 

I was going to use a proc export as I need to use the delimiter '|'. An issue I have is I want all the character variables to be output within double quotations (" ") and the numeric/date variables to be output without them.

Is there a quick way of achieving this?

[data_null__ · Accepted solution]

Try this, I did not make the name row.

40         data _null_;
41            set sashelp.class;
42            file log dlm='|';
43            put (_all_)(:);
44            format _character_ $quote128.;
45            run;

"Alfred"|"M"|14|69|112.5
"Alice"|"F"|13|56.5|84
"Barbara"|"F"|13|65.3|98
"Carol"|"F"|14|62.8|102.5
"Henry"|"M"|14|63.5|102.5
"James"|"M"|12|57.3|83
"Jane"|"F"|12|59.8|84.5
"Janet"|"F"|15|62.5|112.5
"Jeffrey"|"M"|13|62.5|84
"John"|"M"|12|59|99.5
"Joyce"|"F"|11|51.3|50.5
"Judy"|"F"|14|64.3|90
"Louise"|"F"|12|56.3|77
"Mary"|"F"|15|66.5|112
"Philip"|"M"|16|72|150
"Robert"|"M"|12|64.8|128
"Ronald"|"M"|15|67|133
"Thomas"|"M"|11|57.5|85
"William"|"M"|15|66.5|112

[data_null__]

I added NAME row not quote.  Notice that the absence of DSD will make that slightly different from PROC EXPORT.  But with DSD the quotes are doubled and double quoted.

40         data _null_;
41            set sashelp.heart(obs=50);
42            file log dlm='|' ls=256;
43            if _n_ eq 1 then link names;
44            put (_all_)(:);
45            format _character_ $quote128.;
46            return;
47         names:
48            length _name_ $32;
49            do while(1);
50               call vnext(_name_);
51               if upcase(_name_) eq '_NAME_' then leave;
52               put _name_ @;
53               end;
54            put;
55            run;


Status|DeathCause|AgeCHDdiag|Sex|AgeAtStart|Height|Weight|Diastolic|Systolic|MRW|Smoking|AgeAtDeath|Cholesterol|Chol_Status|BP_Status|Weight_Status|Smoking_Status
"Dead"|"Other"|.|"Female"|29|62.5|140|78|124|121|0|55|.|""|"Normal"|"Overweight"|"Non-smoker"
"Dead"|"Cancer"|.|"Female"|41|59.75|194|92|144|183|0|57|181|"Desirable"|"High"|"Overweight"|"Non-smoker"
"Alive"|""|.|"Female"|57|62.25|132|90|170|114|10|.|250|"High"|"High"|"Overweight"|"Moderate (6-15)"
"Alive"|""|.|"Female"|39|65.75|158|80|128|123|0|.|242|"High"|"Normal"|"Overweight"|"Non-smoker"
"Alive"|""|.|"Male"|42|66|156|76|110|116|20|.|281|"High"|"Optimal"|"Overweight"|"Heavy (16-25)"
"Alive"|""|.|"Female"|58|61.75|131|92|176|117|0|.|196|"Desirable"|"High"|"Overweight"|"Non-smoker"
"Alive"|""|.|"Female"|36|64.75|136|80|112|110|15|.|196|"Desirable"|"Normal"|"Overweight"|"Moderate (6-15)"
"Dead"|"Other"|.|"Male"|53|65.5|130|80|114|99|0|77|276|"High"|"Normal"|"Normal"|"Non-smoker"
"Alive"|""|.|"Male"|35|71|194|68|132|124|0|.|211|"Borderline"|"Normal"|"Overweight"|"Non-smoker"

[mk131190]

My character variables are coming out "" ""|"" ""

Is there a reason why they are in 2 lots of double quotes?

[data_null__]

If you used DSD option that will cause it.  Show your program.

[SAS_inquisitive]

@data_null__  Can you explain how DOW WHILE (1) is working and what is _name_ variable?

[data_null__]

@SAS_inquisitive DO WHILE(1); is infinite loop.  Notice the LEAVE statement to exit.

_NAME_ is the value returned from CALL VNEXT.  It is the name of a variable from the PDV.

Each time VNEXT is executed it returns the "next" variable in the PDV.  It provides a way to iterate across the PDV.  It will also return the length and type of the variable.

In some other languages it might be writen using FOR statement a list iterator.

for NAME in PDV do
   end