All,

I'm drawing a blank on a better solution than what I have, so I'd appreciate your input.

My program needs to merge a couple of data sets and write a temp target table which then appended to a permanent data set. I want to ensure that the temp table has the same column attributes as the permanent data set so that PROC APPEND will not complain. Here is the solution I have. it works but it really looks odd and I'm drawing a blank on a better solution than what I have, so I'd appreciate your input.

data append_em; /* get variable attributes - nothing is read */ if "a" = "b" then set mylib.perm_data_set; ---merge code and other stuff here --- run; proc append base=mylib.perm_data_set data=append_em force; run;

Since the append code will actually be created in the ETL Studio Loader Transformation, I don't care about having extra variables in append_em. I just want to make sure that the variables for mylib.perm_data_set have the correct length, type, label, informat, and format. I tried this: data append_em; set mylib.perm_data_set (obs=0); ---merge code and other stuff here --- run; but when it runs it generates 0 observations in my tests. I think there is a simple solution other than coding an always-false contruct but I can't think of it.

TIA,

Clint Rickards Dual Card Fraud Strategy Manager GE Consumer Finance Shelton, CT (Internal) 8*370-6156 (External) (203) 944-6156