Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 02:29:12 +0200
Reply-To: Jason.Boland@ASTRA.AU.ASTRA.COM
Sender: "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU>
From: Boland Jason <Jason.Boland@ASTRA.AU.ASTRA.COM>
Subject: DOS path names
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Dear All
We have an application which we use to perform checks on our data. As part
of this process, users assign themselves a new userid. A new subdirectory is
then created for the userid. In the code this is done using:
data _null_ ;
call system("md &dm\userarea\&user");
run;
where dm and user are previously defined macro variables.
The problem we are having is that our directories have been structured
taking advantage of the Windows environment, i.e. directory names of length
greater than 8 characters, spaces in the names and so on. What this means
is that when it comes time to submit the system call DOS cannot recognise
the path that we have enterred.
For example, to create a subdirectory under the following directory:
c:\jason boland\work\technical results\ridiculous
DOS would need a path of:
c:\jasonb~1\work\techni~1\ridicu~1
What I would like to know is if someone has or knows of a macro or program
which could change the first path name into the second.
We don't want to simply specify the macro variable dm as the DOS version as
we still refer to the full path name in %include statements and the like.
Also there is the potential problem of having two subdirectories with the
same first six characters (for example, if we had subdirectories called
"technical results" and "technical summaries" then the former becomes
"techni~1" under DOS while the latter becomes "techni~2") so blindly
changing the name without thinking can lead to trouble.
Any assistance in this matter will be greatly appreciated.
Jason
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Jason Boland
Biostatistician
Astra Pharmaceuticals
Alma Rd
North Ryde NSW 2113
Phone: (02) 9856 8211
Email: Jason.Boland@astra.au.astra.com
