HOW TO PRINT THE DATA FILE DESCRIPTION 1

[Kayo]

1. I ACCESS A FLAT FILE ON THE MAINFRAME USING SAS VER 6.
RECENTLY, THE FLAT FILE'S VARIABLE NAMES AND FORMATS WERE
CHANGED AND GETTING A COPY OF THE NEW DATA FILE DESCRIPTION (FILE RECORD LAYOUT) IS NOT EASY.

2. IS THERE A WAY TO PROGRAM FOR THE DATA FILE DESCRIPTION USING SAS? I NEED TO SEE VARIABLE NAME, LENGTH ETC.

V/R,

Analyst

 

[achau]

You can use PROC CONTENTS to view the variable names and length of all the variables once your data are in SAS.

 

[Kayo]

1. Sorry for taking so long to get back w/you on this. But
thanks, it worked.

V/r,

 

[lleemon]

PROC CONTENT may work best but another option would be proc sql.

libname mylib 'xxxxxxx';

proc sql;
describe table mylib.<yourdataset>;
Run;

--------

NOTE: output will be in .log file NOT .lst file.

Just another option.