Date:         Thu, 13 Jan 2000 14:38:34 -0000
Reply-To:     andy blissett <andy.blissett@royalmail.co.uk>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         andy blissett <andy.blisset@ROYALMAIL.CO.UK>
Organization: royal mail
Subject:      Data step- Length of records

When I read in a file into SAS or out from SAS the LRECL parameter always
appears to be incorrect.  When I work with Files that are variable length
with no miximum limit, how do I output the file.

For example if I has a file called test then the code may look like this
I'll explain what ZZZZZZ means


Data _null_;
infile 'c:\test' ZZZZZZZ
input @1 var1 $char1. @2 $char2.;
if var1=var2 then do;
   file 'c:\testout' ZZZZZZZ;
   put _infile_;
end;
run;

If the file is a CSV then the record length is rarely quoted.  It may in
this exmaple be 500.

Therefore I could change ZZZZZZ to lrecl=500;

I do not want to guess the record length as being a large number, because
now and again a record may be longer.  What would people recommmend?  should
I just increase the LRECL to something like 30000.  Or is there an option
similar to Lrecl=max???

Please help