When copy data sets from one directory to another, keep the last modified date

[Chunling]

When copy data sets from directory RDATA to EDATA, the date have been modified as current date, how I can I keep it as last modified date? 

proc datasets library=rdata;
   copy out=edata datecopy CONSTRAINT=yes index=yes;
run;

[PeterClemmensen · Accepted solution]

This can not be done with PROC DATASETS when the data set you copy is indexed. When you use the DATECOPY Option, the modified and created date are preserved unless some processing on the data set is necessary which it is when the data set is indexed because the procedure has to rebuld the data set.

Read the Documentation for the COPY Statement for more information.

I'm not sure if there is a workaround, but I don't think it is possible.

[Chunling]

Thank you very much for your help, even I use index=No, the date also as current date, would you please help to write the code? as I try it many times and always failing, thank you very much!

[VDD]

have you tried to use windows explore to do the copy paste?

[Chunling]

@VDDWould you please help to provide an example? as I am not familiar with that, thank you very much!

[Ksharp]

libname x v9 'c:\temp\';
/*Get the modify datetime of TEST*/
%let dsid=%sysfunc(open(x.test));
%let m_date=%sysfunc(attrn(&dsid,modte),datetime.);
%let dsid=%sysfunc(close(&dsid));
%put &m_date;

proc copy in=x out=work;
select test;
run;

proc datasets library=work nolist nodetails;
   /*change WORK.TEST 's modify time*/
   modify test/dtc="&m_date"dt;
quit;

[PeterClemmensen]

@Ksharp, wouldn't this modify the created date of the data set only?

[Ksharp]

Yeah. You are right. I thought it would be modified date.

[Chunling]

@Ksharp  Thank you very much, I haven't test in SAS server as I can't login at home today

[Chunling]

@KsharpHello Ksharp, I have try to edit as your guide, but it also doesn't work as one error, even though add the  outrep=WINDOWS_32 after libname, would you please help guide further? thank you very much!

ERROR: File EDATA.AE cannot be updated because its encoding does not match the session encoding or the file is in
       a format native to another host, such as WINDOWS_32.

[Ksharp]

My code can't change modify time of file, so ignore my post. 

[Ksharp]

Could you try to use FCOPY() function in data step  to copy sas tables ?