SAS 9.4 Macro Language, 5th Edition

Appendix 4

Syntax for Selected Functions

Used with the %SYSFUNC

Function

Summary Descriptions and Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437

Functions and Arguments for %SYSFUNC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437

Summary Descriptions and Syntax

This appendix provides summary descriptions and syntax for selected functions that can

be used with the %SYSFUNC function.

Functions and Arguments for %SYSFUNC

The following table shows the syntax for selected functions that can be used with the

%SYSFUNC function. This is not a complete list of the functions that can be used with

%SYSFUNC. For a list of functions that cannot be used with %SYSFUNC, see Table

17.2 on page 284.

Table A4.1 Functions and Arguments for %SYSFUNC

Function Description and Syntax

ATTRC Returns the value of a character attribute for a SAS data

set.%SYSFUNC(ATTRC(data-set-id,attr-name))

ATTRN Returns the value of a numeric attribute for specified SAS data

set.%SYSFUNC(ATTRN(data-set_id,attr-name))

CEXIST Verifies the existence of a SAS catalog or SAS catalog

entry.%SYSFUNC(CEXIST(entry <, U>))

CLOSE

Closes a SAS data set.%SYSFUNC(CLOSE(data-set-id))

CUROBS Returns the number of the current

observation.%SYSFUNC(CUROBS(data-set-id))

437

Function Description and Syntax

DCLOSE

Closes a directory.%SYSFUNC(DCLOSE(directory-id))

DINFO Returns specified information items for a

directory.%SYSFUNC(DINFO(directory-id,info-items))

DNUM Returns the number of members in a

directory.%SYSFUNC(DNUM(directory-id))

DOPEN

Opens a directory.%SYSFUNC(DOPEN(fileref))

DOPTNAME Returns a specified directory

attribute.%SYSFUNC(DOPTNAME(directory-id,nval))

DOPTNUM Returns the number of information items available for a

directory.%SYSFUNC(DOPTNUM(directory-id))

DREAD Returns the name of a directory member.

%SYSFUNC(DREAD(directory-id,nval))

DROPNOTE Deletes a note marker from a SAS data set or an external file.

%SYSFUNC(DROPNOTE(data-set-id | file-id,note-

id))

DSNAME Returns the data set name associated with a data set identifier.

%SYSFUNC(DSNAME(<data-set-id>))

EXIST Verifies the existence of a SAS library member.

%SYSFUNC(EXIST(member-name<,member-type>))

FAPPEND Appends a record to the end of an external file.

%SYSFUNC(FAPPEND(file-id<,cc>))

FCLOSE Closes an external file, directory, or directory member.

%SYSFUNC(FCLOSE(file-id))

FCOL Returns the current column position in the File Data Buffer (FDB)

%SYSFUNC(FCOL(file-id))

FDELETE

Deletes an external file. %SYSFUNC(FDELETE(fileref))

FETCH Reads the next nondeleted observation from a SAS data set into the Data

Set Data Vector (DDV). %SYSFUNC(FETCH(data-set-

id<,NOSET>))

FETCHOBS Reads a specified observation from a SAS data set into the DDV.

%SYSFUNC(FETCHOBS(data-set-id,obs-

number<,options>))

FEXIST Verifies the existence of an external file associated with a fileref.

%SYSFUNC(FEXIST(fileref))

438 Appendix 4 • Syntax for Selected Functions Used with the %SYSFUNC Function

Function Description and Syntax

FGET

Copies data from the FDB. %SYSFUNC(FGET(file-

id,cval<,length>))

FILEEXIST Verifies the existence of an external file by its physical name.

%SYSFUNC(FILEEXIST(file-name))

FILENAME Assigns or deassigns a fileref for an external file, directory, or output

device. %SYSFUNC(FILENAME(fileref,file-

name<,device<,host-options<,dir-ref>>>))

FILEREF Verifies that a fileref has been assigned for the current SAS session.

%SYSFUNC(FILEREF(fileref))

FINFO Returns a specified information item for a file.

%SYSFUNC(FINFO(file-id,info-item))

FNOTE

Identifies the last record that was read. %SYSFUNC(FNOTE(file-

id))

FOPEN

Opens an external file. %SYSFUNC(FOPEN(fileref<,open-

mode<,record-length<,record-format>>>))

FOPTNAME Returns the name of an information item for an external file.

%SYSFUNC(FOPTNAME(file-id,nval))

FOPTNUM Returns the number of information items available for an external file.

%SYSFUNC(FOPTNUM(file-id))

FPOINT Positions the read pointer on the next record to be read.

%SYSFUNC(FPOINT(file-id,note-id))

FPOS Sets the position of the column pointer in the FDB.

%SYSFUNC(FPOS(file-id,nval))

FPUT Moves data to the FDB of an external file starting at the current column

position. %SYSFUNC(FPUT(file-id,cval))

FREAD Reads a record from an external file into the FDB.

%SYSFUNC(FREAD(file-id))

FREWIND Positions the file pointer at the first record.

%SYSFUNC(FREWIND(file-id))

FRLEN Returns the size of the last record read, or the current record size for a

file opened for output. %SYSFUNC(FRLEN(file-id))

FSEP Sets the token delimiters for the FGET function.

%SYSFUNC(FSEP(file-id,cval))

FWRITE

Writes a record to an external file. %SYSFUNC(FWRITE(file-

id<,cc>))

Functions and Arguments for %SYSFUNC 439