Specific application aside, I'm still back with the FWRITE() fucntion and the overwrite (+) character.  Suggestions? ... View more

I've always said that SAS Documentation puts the TITLE statements in the wrong place.  FOOTNOTE too.  They really do belong outside/above the PROC and not inside/within. TITLE1 'SAS Baseball data' ; proc print data=sashelp.baseball ; run ; But the documentation always shows this... proc print data=sashelp.baseball ;    TITLE1 'SAS Baseball data' ; run ;   The TITLE statement declared remains in place until changed.  Logically, it belongs outside the PROC and not inside the PROC.  So far, they haven't listened to me on that one... ... View more

I took Bruno's idea and kind of went a little crazy with it...  Here's a macro that I put together that will return the results of a user declared format from any available format library. %macro fmtlist (format) /des='returns all values of a format to a square bracket listing' ;    %local format sblout fmtname liblist numlib i library cntlout startlst endlst hlolst           labellst notes sascode rc start end hlo label dsid memname ;    %let sblout = %sysfunc(getoption(missing)) ;    %if %length(&format)=0 %then %put NOTE: Argument 1 to macro function %nrstr(%FMTLIST) is missing or out of range. ;    %else %do ;       %let format = %upcase(&format) ;       %let fmtname = %sysfunc(compress(&format, %str($.))) ;       %let liblist = %translate(%sysfunc(getoption(fmtsearch)), ' ', '()') ;       %let numlib = %sysfunc(countw(&liblist)) ;       %if &numlib = 0 %then           %put NOTE: No libraries declared in SYSTEM OPTION FMTSEARCH=%sysfunc(getoption(fmtsearch)). ;       %else %do i = 1 %to &numlib ;          %let library = %scan(&liblist, &i, %str(%(%) )) ;          %if %cexist(&library..formats) %then %do ;             %let cntlout = %nextdata(work) ;             %let startlst = %str() ;             %let endlst = %str() ;             %let hlolst = %str() ;             %let labellst = %str() ;             %let notes=%sysfunc(getoption(notes)) ;             %let sascode = %str(options nonotes ;                                 proc format library=&library cntlout=&cntlout (where=(upcase(fmtname)="&fmtname")) ;                                 run ;                                 options &notes;) ;             %let rc = %sysfunc(dosubl(%superq(sascode))) ;             %if %obscnt(&cntlout) > 0 %then %do ;                %let dsid = %sysfunc(open(&cntlout)) ;                %syscall set(dsid) ;                %do %while (%sysfunc(fetch(&dsid)) = 0) ;                   %let startlst = &startlst {%strip(&start)} ;                   %let endlst = &endlst {%strip(&end)} ;                   %let labellst = &labellst {%strip(&label)} ;                   %if %length(&hlo) = 0 %then %let hlolst = &hlolst {.} ;                   %else %let hlolst = &hlolst {%strip(&hlo)} ;                %end ;                %let rc = %sysfunc(close(&dsid)) ;                %let i = &numlib ;                %let sblout = [LIBRARY: &library] [FMTNAME:%strip(&fmtname)] [START:%strip(&startlst)]                              [END:%strip(&endlst)] [HLO:%strip(&hlolst)] [LABEL:%strip(&labellst)] ;                %let memname = %scan(&cntlout, 2) ;                %let sascode = %str(options nonotes ;                                    proc datasets library=work nolist ;                                       delete &memname ;                                    quit ;                                    options &notes ; ) ;                %let rc = %sysfunc(dosubl(%superq(sascode))) ;             %end ;          %end ;       %end ;    %superq(sblout) %mend fmtlist ; Using Bruno's example format above, you could call it like this: %put FORMATS=%fmtlist($gender) ; The results are: 90 %put FORMATS=%fmtlist($gender) ; FORMATS=[LIBRARY: WORK] [FMTNAME:GENDER] [START:{F} {M} {**OTHER**}] [END:{F} {M} {**OTHER**}] [HLO:{.} {.} {O}] [LABEL:{female} {male} {others}] I put these into a "square bracket listing" where the list is parsed and grouped first into square brackets and can be labeled with a colon marker, then braces inside the square brackets to group each  component of the list.  It's not perfect, but can work.  Choose your own delimiters, it won't bug me. You'll note that the returned value shows which LIBRARY the format was found, and it is searched in order declared in the FMTSEARCH= option.  This way, if you have two libraries with the same named format in them, the value you get back will be the one that your program session will find as it goes through the different libraries in order. A few embedded macros I should explain:  %CEXIST is a variation of the CEXIST function and checks to confirm if a catalog exists.  %OBSCNT is my flavor of returning the observations of a data set.  %NEXTDATA returns the next availabe (unused) data set name in the given library (which is then deleted at the end of the macro).  %STRIP is simply a compressed version of %SYSFUNC(STRIP()), and %TRANSLATE is version of %SYSFUNC(TRANSLATE()). In just about every case, I do think it would be easier-faster-better-simpler to use CNTLOUT= on PROC FORMAT, or otherwise search catalogs. But this will do.  Your mileage my vary. ... View more

You got my vote, but ... the requirements call for what the requirements call. ... View more

The good news is that for my specific requirements, I was able to get the DOSUBL() function to work.  I created a big ol' macro with about 20 lines of SAS code, then put an OPTIONS NONOTES; and OPTIONS NOTES; on the top and bottom of it.  Like most problems I encounter in SAS, the solution often lies in selecting a different approach.  And if I hadn't gotten your input, I'd still be working on it now.  Thanks are in order! I think I can explain a little more on what is needed.  Don't worry that you didn't understand it because I really struggled figuring out how to explain it... but not really "explain" it! The purpose is to create a macro function that will validate connection to a database that management requires an extra level of security.  The function will return a 1 if the connection is validated and a 0 if it is not validated.  Usage will be something like this: %IF %VALIDATE_DB = 1 %THEN %DO ;    %PUT run process ; %END ; %ELSE PUT DATABASE NOT VALIDATED ; Yes, I know I can do all this in a data step and use procs.  And yes, I know that would be easier.  And yes, I know I can assing the validated value to a global macro variable.  And oh yes, I also know that maybe management should let certain users of a database actually know the password and other key secure tools.  But that's not the requirements, and I can't change them.  The requirements are to create a macro function that will return a 1 if the database is validated up and a 0 if it is not validated up AND the user must be blind to the logic behind it.  The validation must be done in SAS, so writing a different utility to check that the databse is up or down just won't do, either.  SAS has to hit the database and pull at least one record from one variable from one table. Let me see if I can generalize it but still be specific enough.  Here's a similar solution to the DOSUBL() method that I got to work inside the macro: First, I created the rather lengthy macro SASCODE with... well... the SAS COde in it with the key parameters and embedded site macro to verify the connection authority: %let sascode = %str( OPTIONS NONOTES ; DATA _NULL_ ; FILE "pgmfile.txt" ; PUT "DATA TST ;" ; PUT "super-secret-code-I-cannot-tell-you with embedded macros and macro variables" ; PUT "some that can resolve at the creation step and some that must not until this program is run" ; PUT "so macro quoting and resolution became a beast.  I had been attempting to overstrike and build" ; PUT "this program as a file backwards to allow certain tokens to resolve and other tokens to not resolve" ; PUT "it was painful" ; PUT "RUN ;" PUT "DATA _NULL_ ;" ; PUT "SET T1 ;" ; PUT 'FILE "testfile.txt" ;' ; PUT 'IF _N_ = 1 THEN PUT "UP" ;' PUT 'RUN ;' ; OPTIONS NOTES ; ) ; %LET RC=%SYSFUNC(DOSUBL(%SUPERQ(SASCODE))) ; I then build up a command for %SYSCMD to sumbit and run an independent SAS session with no log and no printed output that submits the code generated above.  When that is done, the file TESTFILE.TXT is ether a null file or a file of one record containing the two characters "UP".  Then inside the same macro, I can just check the contents of that file easily, like this: %let fid1=%sysfunc(fopen(&txtfname)) ; %if &fid1 %then %do ; %let rc = %sysfunc(fread(&fid1)) ; %let rc = %sysfunc(fget(&fid1, textline, 8)) ; %let rc = %sysfunc(fclose(&fid1)) ; %end ; %if %str(&textline) = %str(UP) %then %let status = 1 ; %else %let status = 0 ; I can then throw the value of &STATUS back to the program.  That runs something like htis: %MACRO VALDB ;    %local textline status (and a lot more) ;    /* logic as discussed above */    %if %str(&textline) = %str(UP) %then %let status = 1 ;    %else %let status = 0 ;   &status %MEND VALDB ; %PUT Database Status is %VALDB ; When executed, the SAS log will show this: Database status is 1 OR Database status is 0 ... View more

I was able to combine the DOSBUL()  function to build two data steps and use the second to overwrite content on the second line.  For the example, I removed the detail of Shemp coming back to make the output clear.  The result is both cat /home/sas/testfwrite2.txt and cat -e /home/sas/testfwrite2.txt appear the same. %macro overlay ;    %local rc ;    %let file = /home/sas/testfwrite2.txt ;    %let rc = %sysfunc(dosubl(%str(data _null_ ;file "&file" ;put @1 'The Three Stoges' ;put @1 'Shemp Larry and Moe' ;run ;))) ;    /* In 1932, Shemp left and Curly joins */    %let rc = %sysfunc(dosubl(%str(data _null_ ;infile "&file" sharebuffers ;file "&file" ; input ; if _n_ = 2 then put @1 'Curly' ;run ;))) ; %mend overlay ; %overlay ; ... View more

I appreciate you looking into it. PROC SQL won't do it for me because ... well... that's a procedure, and I'm not sure it can modify text files. As I review the FILE/INFILE statements, it appears that they only apply for use inside a DATA STEP, which is also outside the requirements.  There may be useful information there that can apply to the FWRITE() function. What I'm trying to do is simple enough operationally:  Using the macro facility or some other tool outside the data step and procedures, write a record to a text file and then overlay that same record with different data on that same text file.  The solution must work in SAS, must work on any operating system, and must function in open code--meaning not interrupting a procedure or data step. ... View more

Well, I don't see any overwriting in that example... ... View more

The "why" is a bit complex.  I'm needing to manipulate file content based on conditions entered inside the double-quotes of a SAS statement, which screams "macro function" to me.  I can't go into much more detail due to confidentiality, but here's a broader application that is similar: title1 "Creating report on %titlecard(REPORTNAME)" ; Not a real practical application either, I admit--but I'm trying to give a more operationally-friendly example.  Suppose you want to know how many times different users run a report based on the title statement (yeah why would you want that but I'm scraping to give an example for public use).  When the macro TITLECARD is called, it would return a string for the given value of REPORTNAME, but also append records to a master file showing detail of who has requested which reports and when. It's gotta work inside double quotes.  That's the why. I'll run some tests with different quoting options.  I don't need to use macro quoting options in the three stooges example, but I do in the actual applciation where semicoons and double-quotes get invovled. ... View more

Sorry everyone, a couple of edits to the code above: Use this for the top part: %local filref rc fid1 ; %let filref = homesas ; /* assign filename */ %let rc = %sysfunc(filename(filref, /home/sas/testfwrite.txt)) ; /* open file */ %let fid1=%sysfunc(fopen(&fileref, O, 0, P)) ; /* create header record */ %let rc=%sysfunc(fput(&fid1, %sysfunc(putc(%str(The Three Stooges), $, 41)))) ; %let rc=%sysfunc(fwrite(&fid1)) ; And then release the filename at the bottom: %let rc=%sysfunc(filename(&filref)) ; I hope someone can explain to me the wisdom behind using a macro variable in the FILENAME function for the first argument that does not have an & in it... but that's another discussion thread. ... View more

The LIBREF() function verifies that a libref has been assigned.  If the libref is assigned, then it returns a 0; if not assigned then it returns a nonzero value. From your code, it seems to me that you are wanting to check to see if a LIBREF has been assigned, and if not then assign it.  You might try something like this: %macro testlibref (libref, path) ;    %local libref path rc ;    %if %sysfunc(libref(&libref)) %then %let rc = %sysfunc(libname(&libref, &path) ; %mend testlibraf ; /* UNIX example */ %testlibref (MYLIB, /my/test/library) ; /*Windows example */ %testlibref (MYLIB, c:\my\test\library) ; Or you may  prefer a data step to accomplish this, it can provide a little stronger control of quotes and things: /* UNIX example */ data _null_ ;    if libref('/my/test/library') then call execute ("libname MYLIB '/my/test/library' ;") ; run ;   /* Windows  example */ data _null_ ;    if libref(''c:\my\test\library') then call execute ("libname MYLIB 'c:\my\test\library' ;") ; run ;   ... View more

I found this to be an interesting exercise and wanted to give it a whirl.  I'm working in a UNIX environment so I wondered what happened with the file information and compare that to the SAS Data Set metadata information.  I have a macro called %UNIX_STAT that runs a stat command on a given file and writes the results to a named SAS data set.  Details include atime (last access date-time), mtime (last modified date-time), and ctime (last change date-time).  I rename those to ACCESS_DATE, MODIFY_DATE, and CHANGE_DATE.   The results were interesting.  In my case, I noticed that the unix file data matched the START TIME of the data step, where the SAS metadata for CRDTE and MODTE marked the END TIME of the data step.  One could use this information to develop further the process of recording and measuring start time, end time, and run time of a data step.   However, those times would only reflect "real time" and not necessarily point to efficiency in a shared environment:  cpu usage, swap, and other measures could come in to play.   The results on a windows or other environment may vary. Here's my test: 31 *test data set ; 32 %put DATETIME=%sysfunc(datetime(), datetime.) ; DATETIME=12APR25:23:39:36 33 data mydata ; 34 do i = 1 to 10 ; 35 sleep = sleep (5, 1) ; 36 output ; 37 end ; 38 run ; NOTE: The data set WORK.MYDATA has 10 observations and 2 variables. NOTE: DATA statement used (Total process time): real time 50.02 seconds cpu time 0.02 seconds 39 %put DATETIME=%sysfunc(datetime(), datetime.) ; DATETIME=12APR25:23:40:26 40 41 %macro datatimer (data) ; 42 %local data dsid crdte modte rc ; 43 %let dsid = %sysfunc(open(&data)) ; 44 45 %if &dsid %then %do ; 46 %let crdte = %sysfunc(attrn(&dsid, crdte), datetime.) ; 47 %let modte = %sysfunc(attrn(&dsid, modte), datetime.) ; 2 The SAS System 22:19 Saturday, April 12, 2025 48 %let rc = %sysfunc(close(&dsid)) ; 49 %end ; 50 51 %put &=crdte &=modte ; 52 %mend datatimer ; 53 54 %datatimer (mydata) ; CRDTE=12APR25:23:39:36 MODTE=12APR25:23:39:36 55 56 %unix_stat (file=%sysfunc(pathname(work))/mydata.sas7bdat, out=stat) ; NOTE: The data set WORK.STAT has 1 observations and 13 variables. NOTE: MACRO %UNIX_STAT used: real time 00:00.14 cpu time unknown 57 58 data _null_ ; 59 set stat ; 60 put access_date= modify_date= change_date= ; 61 run ; access_date=12APR25:23:40:26 modify_date=12APR25:23:40:26 change_date=12APR25:23:40:26 ... View more