proc sql generate timestamp

[metallon]

Hi SAS Experts,

I need to create an XML file that has a unique ID every time I generte it.

The data fo create the XML is extracted from a sas data set using proc sql and now I wonder

how to generate a unique timestamp, preferable something just numbers.

proc sql;
    create table VDR as
    select
%sysfunc(datetime(),datetime18.)
from sashelp.class;
    run;

Any ideas?

[Manu_SAS · Accepted solution]

Hi,

proc sql;
select *, put(datetime(),datetime18.) as timestamp from sashelp.class;
quit;

Regards,

Manohar

[LinusH]

Why store it as char? Use format=datetime 18

Also, using automatic macro variable may be more efficient than using functions:
"&sysdate:&systime"dt
One drawback with thus this will only give you the minute.