SAS question: Multiple infiles

[zzzman29]

I have one data step, that I want to run for about 15 different flat files. Anyone know a way to do this without without having to copy the data step 15 times and changing just the one line?
:-?

[PAC]

Not to be facetious . . . use a do loop.

I don't recall the sytax, but SAS supports these.

[GadgetGeek]

Should be able to set up a macro to do that. Pass the input file as your parameter. I've not worked with macros much but I inherited a bunch of jobs that use them. Basically your have 15 lines in your data step with your 15 file names and then a macro subprogram that will make this change for you. Good luck

[PAC]

I agree with GadgetGeek regarding macro syntax.

This is what I used to solve a similar looping problem - that produced similar head-banging frustration.

[mchung]

hi

[E. Blackadder]

If you're putting the files together, then an infile statement would do the trick.

If you want to process the files one at a time and keep them separate, then an itsy macro would solve your issue.

[ACCtuary]

If it is not important to you to identify which data lines belong in which files (you care only about the summary data, perhaps). If you are using a mainframe, you can always concatenate them in JCL. In the data step you could also do something like

DATA LOTSA;
INFILE F1 END=DONE1
F2 END=DONE2 /* etc */

Then you have boolean variables DONE1,...DONEn to know when you are about to start a new file.

You can also use the filevar= option to read in a list of files, then input from those file locations. I have never done this, so I will not attempt to elaborate. However, details may be found in the SAS Language Reference - "Reading from Multiple Input Files"

Good luck.