Date:         Thu, 4 Dec 2003 14:45:49 -0500
Reply-To:     Ian Whitlock <WHITLOI1@WESTAT.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Ian Whitlock <WHITLOI1@WESTAT.COM>
Subject:      Re: Append (Newbie)
Comments: To: Microstructure <randistan69@HOTMAIL.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain

Micro,

In

   set abc.master abc.file1 ... ;

the variable attributes (length type format label etc.) are obtained from
the first dataset.  If you want to override these attributes you need an
ATTRIB statement BEFORE the SET statement.  When length is the only
attribute of interest you can use a LENGTH statement instead.

The code

   proc sql ;
     select memname , name , length , type /* maybe more */
       from dictionary.columns
       where libname = "ABC"
         and memname = MASTER or memname like "FILE"
       order by name , memname
     ;
   quit ;

may be very helpful in determining which variables require setting the
length before the the SET statement.

IanWhitlock@westat.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Microstructure [mailto:randistan69@HOTMAIL.COM]
Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 6:16 PM
To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Append (Newbie)


Dear All

I have 10 files that I want to append.  All of the files have the same
variables.

This is the code that I wrote.  I just am using a set statement.  Is there a
better way?

libname abc 'C:/Test/Append';

data abc.append_500; set abc.master abc.file1 abc.file2 abc.file3 abc.file4

.......;
run;

Also; data in one of the variables (Var1) has different column widths.  For
example the first entry has a width of 8 characters and the second entry has
a width of 40 characters and so on.  How can i set column width so that it
captures all of the entries?  The maximum width of an entry is 45
characters.

Also; can I use the informat command to set a variable as character or
numeric?

Thanx in advance.