how to use filename and infile statement to extract goole maps web information

[tomtang]

Hi, I'm currently reading Mike Zdeb's one paper. "Driving Distances and Times Using SAS and Google Maps".  I want to know how to extract all goole maps web source information into one variable in a SAS dataset using filename and infile statement. thanks

[art297]

Does Mike's sasCommunity.org page on the topic provide what you are looking for?:

http://www.sascommunity.org/wiki/Driving_Distances_and_Drive_Times_using_SAS_and_Google_Maps

[tomtang]

Hi,

I have that paper. I want to know how to extract all goole maps web source information into one variable in a SAS dataset?

for example, in mike's code

* enter two zip codes;

%let z1=12203;

%let z2=27513;

* no changes required below this line;

filename x url "http://maps.google.com/maps?daddr=&z2.%nrstr(&saddr)=&z1";

data drive;

retain zip1 &z1 zip2 &z2;

infile x lrecl=32000 pad;

......

how to input all information from x into one variable in sas dataset?

Thanks

[tomtang]

hi,

in Mike's code,

loc = find(_infile_,'dditd>');

but i can't find 'dditd>' in the source information.

[art297]

I know Mike mentioned that string in his paper, but I don't think it is still used on the current Google Maps' page.  You can search for such strings as:

distance:'

time:'

summary:'

the single quotes at the end of those strings are necessary to be part of the string and the fields appear to be separated by commas.

[tomtang]

Hi,

My logic is

step 1. extract whole goole map web information into sigle variable in SAS dataset.

step 2. use find or substr function to search target string and then get the distance and time information.

Now, I dont know how to extract whole goole map web information into sigle variable in SAS dataset.

Are you able to show me some sample coding for that?

much appreciated.

[art297 · Accepted solution]

Using code based on Mike's paper, but slightly revised, you could get distance and time with:

* enter two zip codes;

%let z1=12203;

%let z2=20500;

* no changes required below this line;

filename x url "http://maps.google.com/maps?daddr=&z2.%nrstr(&saddr)=&z1";

filename z temp;

data _null_;

  infile x recfm=f lrecl=1 end=eof;

  file z recfm=f lrecl=1;

  input @1 x $char1.;

  put @1 x $char1.;

  if eof;

  call symputx('filesize',_n_);

run;

data want;

  infile z recfm=f lrecl=&filesize. eof=done;

  input @ "distance:'" @;

  input text $50.;

  distance = input(scan(text,1,"'"),$20.);

  time     = input(scan(text,3,"'"),$20.);

  output;

  stop;

  done:

run;

filename x clear;

filename z clear;

[tomtang]

Hi,

Thank you so much.