= SAS Reading Data =

SAS has [[SAS/Import|procedures for automating the import of data files]], but sometimes it's necessary to manually read data from a text file.

<<TableOfContents>>

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== Input ==

The primary way to read data into a SAS table is with a [[SAS/DataStep|data step]] and the '''`INFILE`''', '''`INPUT`''', and '''`OUTPUT`''' statements.


=== InFile Statement ===

{{{
data LIBREF.TABLE;
    infile "data.txt" pad missover lrecl=80;
run;
}}}

The '''`LRECL`''' option specifies the fixed-width size of a record. The '''`MISSOVER`''' and '''`PAD`''' options together ensure that unspecified fields are set to missing.



=== Input Statement ===

{{{
data LIBREF.TABLE;
    infile "data.txt" pad missover lrecl=80;
    input
        RECTYPE  $ 1-1 @
    ;
	
    if RECTYPE = "1" then do;
        input
            RECTYPE  $ 1-1
            VAR1       2-5
        ;
        output LIBREF.TABLE1;
    end;
    else RECTYPE = "2" then do;
        input
            RECTYPE  $ 1-1
            VAR1       2-2
        ;
        output LIBREF.TABLE2;
    end;
run;
}}}

As demonstrated above, records can be partially input, processed, then completely input later.



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