Thanks for responding. When I look at the file with hex on, it shows 4 4

0 0 where the "dots" are, leading me to believe that these are not "dots" but "spaces". -----Original Message----- From: SAS(r) Discussion [mailto:SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Venita DePuy Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2005 1:21 PM To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Subject: Re: Shouldl I Read the File Twice

Try: if substr(test2,1,4) = '....' then delete;

(assuming no other entry in test2 starts with 4 periods). The substr function is saying to look at the substring of variable test2, starting at the 1st position, and looking at a length of 4.

-Venita

"Srna, Carol (C.)" <csrna@FORD.COM> Sent by: "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> 11/29/2005 12:30 PM Please respond to "Srna, Carol (C.)" <csrna@FORD.COM>

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Subject Shouldl I Read the File Twice

Hi Everyone. I need your help. Please tell me what I am doing wrong. I only want an observation if the observation does not have '..........................' in the DSN field. I do not want obs. with The SAS System, or DATASET NAME, either. Also, do I have to code 44 '.' to delete a field that has 44 '.'? Thanks In Advance

Input data: (external file, FBA The SAS System JOB DATASET NAME NAME ACTION ------------ ---------- ------------ ........................................... ........................................... ........................................... AA.PROD.DCCVOMER.DATA AA74Q82 UPDATED AA.PROD.DCCVOMER.DATE HSM SCRATCHED AA.PROD.DCCVOMER.DATE HSM MIGRATED AA.TST.DCCVOMER.DATA AA74J12 READ AA.TST.DCCVOMER.DATA AA74J12 READ AA.TST.PROJECTS.LIST AA74J12 READ

AACAP13.ISPPROF.V4.DATA AACAP13 UPDATED AACAP13.ISPPROF.V4.DATA AACAP13 UPDATED AACAP13.ISPPROF.V4.DATA AACAP13 READ

CODE: DATA FILE01; INFILE IN01;

INPUT @1 TEST1 $7. @1 TEST2 $44.. @1 TEST4 $12.@; IF TEST1 EQ 'THE SAS' THEN DELETE; IF TEST2 EQ '.................................................' THEN DELETE; IF TEST4 EQ 'DATASET NAME' THEN DELETE; INPUT @1 DSN $44.;