Date:         Tue, 8 May 2007 16:03:22 -0400
Reply-To:     Lorne Klassen <lk1@ROGERS.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Lorne Klassen <lk1@ROGERS.COM>
Subject:      Check if a file exists in concatented aggregate fileref

SAS 9.1, Windows XP

I want to check if a file exists in a folder. If the fileref for my folder
is a fileref pointing to a *single* folder then this works:

filename xxx "c:\a";

/*************************************************************************/
/*  Assign a sys generated fileref to the file x2.txt in the folder c:\a */
/*************************************************************************/
%let tempfref = ;
%let rc = %SYSFUNC(FILENAME(tempfref,x2.txt,DISK,,xxx));

/***********************************/
/* Check if the file x2.txt exists */
/*        THIS WORKS FINE          */
/***********************************/
%let exist = %SYSFUNC(FEXIST(&tempfref));
%put &exist;


HOWEVER......


If the aggregate fileref is a fileref of concatenated folders then this
does not work:

filename xxx ("c:\a", "c:\b", "c:\c");

/**************************************************************/
/* Assign a sys generated fileref to the file x2.txt in <xxx> */
/**************************************************************/
%let tempfref = ;
%let rc = %SYSFUNC(FILENAME(tempfref,x2.txt,DISK,,xxx));

/****************************************************************/
/* This time FEXIST always returns 1, even if the file does not */
/* exist in any of the 3 folders                                */
/****************************************************************/
%let exist = %SYSFUNC(FEXIST(&tempfref));
%put &exist;

Note: Using tempfref to read from x2.txt works

Does anyone know how to check if x2.txt exists in the concatenated fileref
xxx (i.e. in one or more of the three folders)?