SAS base query

[scb]

DATA CLASS;
SET SASHELP.CLASS;
RUN;

%macro checkds(dsn);
%if %sysfunc(exist(&dsn)) %then %do;
data _null_;
file print;
put #3 @10 "Data set &dsn. does exist"; ;
%end;
%else %do;
data _null_;
file print;
put #3 @10 "Data set &dsn. does not exist";
run;
%end;
%mend checkds;
%checkds(WORK.CLASS);
%checkds(WORK.CLASS4);

May I know how to put the info and message into a dataset? Thanks.

Dataset       Message

Class          Data set Class does exist

Class4        Data set Class4 does not exist

[art297]

Depends upon what you are trying to do. Are you trying to do something like the following?

%macro checkds(dsn);
  %if %sysfunc(exist(&dsn)) %then 
   %let result=catx(' ','Data set',"&dsn.",'does exist');
  %else %let result=catx(' ','Data set',"&dsn.",'does not exist');
  &result.;
%mend checkds;

data test;
  x=%checkds(WORK.CLASS);
  output;
  x=%checkds(WORK.CLASS4);
  output;
run;

Art, CEO, AnalystFinder.com

[mkeintz]

You can use the EXIST function in a data step.  So the only issue is how to get the dataset name from a macrovar as an argument:

%let dsnlist=sashelp.class sashelp.class2;

data status;
  length dsn $44;
  do w=1 to countw("&dsnlist",' ');
    dsn=scan("&dsnlist",w,' ');
    dsnstatus=exist(dsn);
    output;
  end;
run;