delete folders with files from SAS

[Billybob73]

Hi,

Is it possible to delete a complete folder with files in it with one singe statement ?

Or do you first need to remove the files and then the folders ?

Thanks

B

[RW9]

Example 2:

http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/lrdict/64316/HTML/default/viewer.htm#a000245893.htm

Do be careful, there is no way back though.

[Kurt_Bremser]

The fdelete() function (which is the SAS tool for this) can only remove empty directories. Removing a non-empty directory will require XCMD and the proper command from the OS.

[RW9]

Well, you could combine the first example, with a loop over dir and then a delete folder:

https://amadeus.co.uk/sas-tips/listing-files-in-a-directory/

So take the second box, replace the put line with an:

rc=fdelete(physname);

 Possibly need path as well - can't check at the moment.  Then at the end fdelete the folder.

Not saying its ideal at any rate, but it is possible with just SAS functions.

[Billybob73]

I combined both, but there's still a problem that remains. Folders which did not have files in them were not deleted.

General question : How can I delete empty folders with empty sub folders from SAS ? Is this possible ?

I tried x commands but they don't work despite path authorization and XCMD switched on.

[RW9]

Just saying "it doesn't work" does not help at all.  Please show examples of what code you have tried.

With the X command ones, likelihood is what you sent to the operating system was incorrect.  Again. code would show this.  Also note, that the commands for windows are different to linux/unix or other OS's.

Also out of interest, why do you want to do this, sounds more like a sys admin role than a SAS programming one.

[Billybob73]

Hi,

You're right about that. I've been assigned as sysadmin to get listings of files for our sas user community.

I'm running this :

%let path = %nrstr(G:\TEST\R&D);

options noxwait ;
x "rmdir &path. /s /q";
options xwait;

Thanks

[RW9]

Then not sure why you are doing this in SAS?   Anyways, something umped out at me

%let path = %nrstr(G:\TEST\R&D);

                                                ^

Yep, good old special characters in a system path.  Bad, bad, bad.  

What happens when you run the code, can you run it with /q off and see what the system error is?  I suspect either the & is messing with macro resolution, or you lack some sort of permission/that folder doesn't exist.

[Billybob73]

Hi,

The & is the reason I'm using a %nrstr

I've made some progress, but still not working unfo..

%let path=%nrstr(G:\TEST\R&D);
options noxsync noxwait noxmin;
  x rd /S /Q "&path";
options xwait;

something in the syntax is still not right........

[Kurt_Bremser]

Instead of the x statement, use the filename pipe method:

filename oscmd pipe "rd /S /Q '&path' 2>&1";

data _null_;
infile oscmd;
input;
put _infile_;
run;

This will show all output and messages in the SAS log.

[Billybob73]

Hi Kurt,

Thanks
Unfortunately this is not working

Rgds

B

[Kurt_Bremser]

"not working" is very un-helpful.

Please post the log.

[Billybob73]

Hi Kurt,

I found out that this is working :

options noxsync noxwait noxmin;

x RD /S /Q "%superq(folderdelete)";

options xwait;

Thanks to your  hints I managed to do this  🙂

Rgds,

B

[Billybob73]

By the way folderdelete is a macro variable that comes from a do loop. This is the loop code :

     %let max_id = 0;
     proc sql noprint; select max(id) into:max_id from deleterootfolders2; quit;
     %put &max_id.;
     %if %eval(&max_id.) ne  0 %then
     %do;
        %do a=1 %to &max_id.;
        data _null_;
        set deleterootfolders2;
        call symputx('folderdelete', year_root);
        where ID = &&a.;
        run;
        options noxsync noxwait noxmin;
        x RD /S /Q "%superq(folderdelete)";
        options xwait;
        %end;
     %end;

[Billybob73]

I used these. Rather than x commands. Thanks !