Date:         Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:00:28 -0500
Reply-To:     Gerhard Hellriegel <gerhard.hellriegel@T-ONLINE.DE>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Gerhard Hellriegel <gerhard.hellriegel@T-ONLINE.DE>
Subject:      Re: deleting datasets with SAS call system(command)

for other DOS commands, which might be not available in SAS (rare), maybe
the option NOXWAIT helps, if the cmd-window does not close after the
operation.
Gerhard




On Fri, 28 Nov 2008 00:14:03 -0500, Joe Whitehurst
<joewhitehurst@GMAIL.COM> wrote:

>Red Eagle,
>
>Oops, the DELETE function is one of the SAS Component Language
>functions that is NOT available using %sysfunc.  Use the SAS Component
>Language function FDELETE instead.
>
>Joe
>
>On 11/27/08, Joe Whitehurst <joewhitehurst@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Red Eagle,
>>
>>  If you use the SAS Component Language Delete function (available with
>>  just SAS/Base using the %sysfunc function). no operating system
>>  command windows appear, you get a return code indicating success or
>>  failure, and the function works on all supported operating systems:
>>
>>  sysrc=DELETE(name<,type,<,password<,generation>>>);
>>
>>  sysrc
>>  contains the return code for the operation:
>>
>>  0
>>  successful
>>
>>   0
>>  not successful
>>
>>  Type: Numeric
>>
>>  name
>>  is the name of the member of the SAS data library or the physical
>>  pathname of an external file or directory. If a one-level name is
>>  specified for a SAS data library member, the library is assumed to be
>>  USER.
>>
>>  Type: Character
>>
>>  type
>>  specifies the type of element to delete:
>>
>>  'ACCESS'
>>  an access descriptor that was created using SAS/ACCESS software.
>>
>>  'CATALOG'
>>  a SAS catalog or catalog entry. If a one- or two-level name is
>>  specified, the catalog is deleted. If a four-level name is specified,
>>  the entry is deleted.
>>
>>  'DATA'
>>  a SAS table. (This is the default.)
>>
>>  'FILE'
>>  an external file or directory.
>>
>>  'MDDB'
>>  an MDDB.
>>
>>  'VIEW'
>>  a SAS table view.
>>
>>  Type: Character
>>
>>  password
>>  is the password that is assigned to the SAS table when type is DATA.
>>
>>  Type: Character
>>
>>  generation
>>  is the generation number of the SAS table that is being deleted.
>>
>>  Type: Numeric
>>
>>  Details
>>  DELETE attempts to delete the specified member and returns a value
>>  indicating whether the operation was successful. You can use DELETE to
>>  delete files or empty directories that are external to a SAS session,
>>  as well as members of a SAS data library.
>>
>>
>>  Joe
>>
>>
>>  On 11/27/08, Yu Zhang <zhangyu05@gmail.com> wrote:
>>  > look up the system option:
>>  >
>>  >  noxwait and noxsync
>>  >
>>  >
>>  >  Yu
>>  >
>>  >
>>  >  On Thu, Nov 27, 2008 at 9:59 PM, Red Eagle <rdb1956@hotmail.com>
wrote:
>>  >
>>  >  > I have a piece of SAS code which deletes a file based on some
condition.
>>  >  > The only problem is when the file is deleted the DOS editor
window opens.
>>  >  > I don't want the DOS editor window opening when the SAS code
process
>>  >  > deletes
>>  >  > files.
>>  >  >
>>  >  > Delete_this_file = 'c:\dletemenow';
>>  >  > If condition = true then call system(delete_this_file);
>>  >  >
>>  >  > Result, deletes file and opens dos window.
>>  >  > SAS 9.1.3 running on Windows XP latest patches.
>>  >  >
>>  >  > Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
>>  >  >
>>  >
>>