Date:         Wed, 27 Sep 2006 21:37:58 -0400
Reply-To:     Joe Whitehurst <joewhitehurst@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Joe Whitehurst <joewhitehurst@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Reading in raw files and concatenating text
Comments: To: Paula Sims <me@here.com>
In-Reply-To:  <MPG.1f84ba875998e31d9896f0@news.chi.sbcglobal.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Paula,

Not all of us.  Some of us don't think the advice you have been given
is all that wonderful.  For example, no one mentioned that a single
SAS Component language FILLIST function could read the text file you
have into a SCL List which would facilitate all the text manipulations
you could want.  There are many examples in the SAS-L archives.

Joe

On 9/27/06, Paula Sims <me@here.com> wrote:
> Thank you all for the wonderful responses. I learned a great deal and in
> the end used Manuel's version. However, I am intrigued about the issue
> of the view and will explore this further for other applications.
>
> You are all WONDERFUL!
>
> Paula
>
>
>
> In article
> <092720061451.5120.451A8FEB0007684600001400220076106405029A06CE9907
> @comcast.net>, iw1junk@COMCAST.NET says...
> > Summary: Use View to handle BY processing of sorted external data
> > #iw-value=2
> >
> > Paula,
> >
> > Nothing wrong with some of the answers you already have, but the
> > opportunity is too good to not point out the advantage of a view.
> >
> > First create data.
> >    filename q temp ;
> >    data _null_ ;
> >       input ;
> >       file q ;
> >       put _infile_ ;
> >    cards4;
> >    1234;1; ; ; ; ; ;Four score and seven years ago our fathers  brought;
> >    1234;2; ; ; ; ; ;forth on this continent, a new nation,  conceived in
> >    1234;3; ; ; ; ; ;Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition  that all;
> >    1234;4; ; ; ; ; ;men are created equal;
> >    2345;1; ; ; ; ; ;To be or not to be;
> >    3456;1; ; ; ; ; ;When in the course of human events it  becomes;
> >    3456;2; ; ; ; ; ;necessary for one people to dissolve the  political;
> >    ;;;;
> >
> > Now we have a file as you describe.  Make the view (no data pass).
> >
> >    data v (drop=skip)/ view=v ;
> >       infile q dsd dlm=";" ;
> >       input id $ seq skip $ skip $ skip $ skip $ skip $ ln :$80.
> >       ;
> >    run ;
> >
> > Use the view with standard SAS tools.
> >
> >    data w ( drop = seq ln ) ;
> >       length line $ 1000 ;
> >       do until ( last.id ) ;
> >          set v ;
> >          by id seq ;
> >          line = trim(line) || " " || ln ;
> >       end ;
> >    run ;
> >
> > I would use CATX function in version 9 to combine the lines, but
> > I am working at a computer with only 8.2.
> >
> > Ian Whitlock
> > ==============
> > Date:         Wed, 27 Sep 2006 00:40:20 GMT
> > Reply-To:     Paula Sims <me@HERE.COM>
>


--
To paraphrase G. Santayana, the SAS Macro Facility used by common SAS
programmers is an old mate that gives no pleasure and many headaches,
yet she/he cannot live without it, and resents any aspersions that
strangers may cast on its character